Angels Crossing Tigers
by Ducky-san
Summary: Mikan and her band, the Fallen Angels, are absolute rivals with Natsume's band, the White Tigers. But the more they compete, the more they question what they're competeing for. And suddenly, their feelings are altering. Rated T for safety. NXM, RXH R
1. Chapter 1 Invitation

No, unfortunately I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

Mikan Sakura

Age: 17

Hotaru Imai

Age: 17

Natsume Hyuuga

Age: 18

Ruka Nogi

Age: 18

Tsubasa

Age: 18

Koko

Age: 18

Nonoko

Age: 17

Anna

Age: 17

Sumire

Age: 17

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Mikan Sakura fumed as she stomped down the halls towards her dormitory. Her shoulders were rigid and her hands were balled into fists, whitening her knuckles. Her fingernails pressed into the skin on her palms, but she was barely aware of the pain.

She was furious, if you couldn't tell by her description.

She'd been at Alice Academy for almost eight years now. She was pursuing her career as a singer along with her band, consisting of herself, Hotaru, Nonoko, Anna, and Sumire. But they weren't the only band in the school.

Natsume Hyuuga and his band, called the White Tigers, consisting of himself, Ruka, Koko, and Tsubasa, were also on their way to being famous for singing.

They were rivals.

Over their years of being at the school, the boys had changed – except for Natsume, who was still cold and emotionless. Ruka was now turning more and more into his best friend, and Koko and Tsubasa were players, which really frustrated some people – mostly Anna and Nonoko.

Mikan was on her way back from a meeting she had called with her band, the Fallen Angels. Hotaru had mentioned that the White Tigers were organizing a concert, and Nonoko had suggested doing one as well. But then Hotaru had told them that the age requirement was 18, and all the girls were only 17.

It was just their luck that all the boys had their birthdays early in the year.

So they couldn't have a concert. Unless…

Hotaru had brought up another option. If the boys _invited _them to play in their concert, then they'd be able to. But that was the exact problem. What reason would the guys have for inviting the girls?

"Oi."

Mikan stopped and spun on her heel, scowling. Her long, waist length, brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, falling neatly down her back. Her brown eyes burned with hatred as she glared at the boy standing in front of her, the boy that was despised by her and her band.

"Natsume," she spat in greeting.

Natsume raised his eyebrow so that it disappeared under his raven colored bangs. He hadn't changed much at all, not even in appearance. He still had that annoying look on his face, and his hair was still messy (in that hot way), and he still always had the hint of amusement in his crimson eyes when he looked at her.

"Something bothering you?" It was obvious by the tone he used that he didn't really care.

Mikan's eyes narrowed. "No." Well, that was a lie.

"Really…?" He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked over to where she stood, so that barely a foot of air separated them. "You look like you just saw your boyfriend making out with another girl."

Mikan reached forward and grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Now, listen here, Hyuuga…" she began quietly, pulling herself up so that her face was only centimeters away from his. "Don't use that simile with me, because you know damn well that I'm not in any kind of relationship with anyone."

He could have said that it was because she was ugly, but that would have been a straight out lie. She was gorgeous. She had begun to leave her hair down only five years back, and her body began to fill out nicely, giving her unwanted attention. She was shaped like an hourglass, with curves in the exact right places.

When she had hit thirteen, she had been asked out so many times that she had lost count, and she had declined every single guy that came up to her, always saying that she didn't want an intimate relationship.

Natsume rolled his eyes and pulled away with ease. She was a strong girl, but it was clear that she wasn't trying very hard to keep him immobilized. "Whatever," was all he said before turning his back on her. "You're just mad because we're old enough to have a concert."

"I am not!" Mikan protested, stomping her foot angrily.

Natsume chuckled humorlessly and looked at her over his shoulder. "No, not at all," he said sarcastically.

Mikan crossed her arms over her chest and a smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. "Though, if you invited us, you'd have a lot more people come to it. Mainly guys. You know how much men these days will go through to see a few hot girls dressed in next to nothing perform."

Natsume knew that she wasn't speaking about herself, since she wasn't conceited and actually didn't see herself the way everyone else did. She was talking about the rest of her band, who were also very, very, beautiful.

"Next to nothing?" He turned to face her again, a stoic look on his face.

Mikan's jaw dropped. "Oh, no, you _pervert!_" she exclaimed, putting her hands on her perfect hips. "You'd enjoy that, wouldn't you?" Her scowl reappeared. "You and your little posse of players would love that." She turned and began stalking the way she had been headed before, raising her hand in a backwards wave as her dismissal. "Forget it!"

* * *

"They want to come?" Ruka was flabbergasted.

Natsume nodded, leaning back on her couch and crossing his legs on the coffee table. "She said that it would attract more people," he explained. "Because guys these days will do anything to see young girls dressed in 'next to nothing', as she put it."

Ruka tried to suppress his smile, unsuccessfully. "Really?"

Koko and Tsubasa exchanged greedy glances.

"And it would make a good impression for our first out of school performance, to have them with us," Natsume continued. "But I have to have consent from all of you guys before I invite them, because I don't make decisions alone."

Ruka glanced at Tsubasa and Koko, who wore silly smiles, and then turned back to Natsume, also smiling in an odd way. "Do we get to choose what they wear?"

* * *

Sumire flopped down on Hotaru's recliner chair. "What are we going to do?"

Mikan took a sip of coffee out of her mug. "I guess we wait," she replied. "If they invite us, they invite us. If they don't, then they don't." She shrugged. "Even if they do invite us, they're probably going to make us wear something very revealing."

"I wonder how good they are," Nonoko said thoughtfully, looking up from her science textbook. "Over all the years since we both started, we've never attended _one _of their in-school concerts, but they've attended all of ours. They know exactly what we sound like."

"And we sound good." Anna was reading a cookbook. "Probably better than them."

Hotaru walked out of the kitchen that her star ranking provided her with. "Don't jump to any conclusions, Anna," she said nonchalantly. "I've heard them practicing, and they're pretty good." She paused and stabbed a piece of crab off the plate she was holding. "But you _are _right. We're better."

"And they know it," Mikan agreed. "So we'll wait it out and see if they actually decide to invite us. Knowing them, they'd probably enjoy having a bunch of girls like yourselves on their stage, and plus it would earn them some more money."

Sumire looked up. "You _know _that the one they'd be focused on is you," she said. "You're gorgeous."

Mikan didn't seem convinced. "I don't believe you."

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Of course you don't," she said dryly. "You must be blind."

They always got into these kind of arguments.

There was a knock at the door and Hotaru put her plate down on the counter before walking over to answer it. When she opened it, a robot maid held out an envelope to her. "Delivery for Imai, Polka-dots, Permy, Anna, and Nonoko. Thank you."

Mikan shot to her feet at the mention of her most hated nickname. "What?" she shrieked, but Hotaru had already closed the door and was walking back to her plate of crab. As she passed Mikan, she tossed the envelope at her.

Sumire was scowling. "I thought they got over that nickname…" she mumbled when she heard her old nickname, Permy.

Mikan glowered and tore the envelope open. She yanked the small card out of its home and opened it up, and her anger was instantly replaced with surprise.

_You are invited to perform in:_

_Under the Claw_

_Hosted by The White Tigers_

_Saturday, February 12__th_

_At the Stadium_

_Be there by 2:00 pm._

_

* * *

_

A/N: Hehe...I just got this idea and I was like 'It would be good to get another one going in case i get writer's block on the other one.' So, here it is.I'm sorry if it doesn't appeal to you...but I like it.

I've got my volleyball tournament on Tuesday and Wednesday, and I'm trying very hard to make sure my dad doesn't notice that my throat is REALLY bugging me, otherwise he won't let me play. He already thinks i've got strep throat, but he doesn't know for sure. And i certainly won't let it stop me. It's like the Advil commercial 'If you think a cold can stop me...you don't know me.' lol.

And this is not meant to sound racist AT ALL, because I thik other cultures are really quite fascinating...but I've realized that a lot of people that use are from the Phillipines. I'm, like, the only Canadian. Lol.

I'm going to make cookies now.

xoxo

Ducky-san


	2. Chapter 2 First Concert

No, unfortunately I don't own Gakuen Alice.

I don't own the songs I used in here either.

The first one is Thunder, belonging to Boys Like Girls.

The second one is Misery Businss, belonging to Paramore.

* * *

"WHAT?"

Ruka plugged his ears and winced at the sound of Mikan's piercing shriek.

They were back stage. It was 2:30, and they were supposed to be getting dressed. But Mikan wasn't very pleased with the outfits Natsume was holding out to her, and neither was the rest of her band.

Mini skirts and revealing tops. Skanky.

"You said that young girls dressed in next to nothing would attract a lot of guys in the audience, and we already advertised it like that…with Photoshopping," Natsume said in a bored tone. "If you don't wear it, you're going to have a disappointed audience." He threw the costumes into her arms. "You have to take chances to get what you want."

Mikan clenched her teeth and spun around. "Come on, then, ladies," she said, waving for her friends to follow her to the dressing rooms. "If they want something to stare at, then we're going to give them something to stare out." There was an edge in her voice.

So they got changed. All of the White Tigers seemed to be anxious while they waited for the girls, except for their lead singer, of course. They were obviously excited to see them in their costumes…the ones that barely covered anything.

Perverts. Bloody perverts.

The girls returned shortly after they had left, but Mikan wasn't with them. When they got back, Ruka, Koko, and Tsubasa were pacing back and forth. Upon their entrance, all movement stopped and their hungry eyes turned to the girls.

Hotaru was wearing a dark purple mini skirt, just like the rest of the girls, with a violet tube top. She was wearing knee-high stockings with black flats on her feet. Her violet eyes made her look like she was bout to kill someone, and she had her arms crossed over her chest.

Nonoko was wearing a dark blue mini skirt with a dark blue, belly tank top that hugged her curves, like Hotaru's did, and like all of theirs did. She was wearing white stockings that only reached up to below her knees, and she was also wearing black flats. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail.

Anna was in pink. She had a pink mini skirt and a darker pink, almost red, tube top, like Hotaru's. She was in bare feet, and she was studying her outfit curiously, since she hadn't worn anything so…_extravagant_ before. Her gorgeous locks were tied in two low pigtails, letting her hair fall in front of her shoulders and down her front side.

Sumire was in all green, like the color of seaweed. She was wearing the exact same thing that Nonoko was, only all of her outfit was in green instead of blue. She didn't seem self-conscious at all. In fact, it looked like she was enjoying the looks she was getting from the boys. Her hair, being really too short to do anything with, was simply let down.

"Where's Mikan?" Ruka asked, looking over Hotaru's shoulder and down the hallway that led to the dressing rooms.

"I'm coming!" Mikan's voice was muffled behind the door, but she soon came blasting out, running into the wall as she tried to pull one of her shoes on. She began hopping down the hallway trying to get her other shoe on, and in the end she wound up tripping and falling flat on her face.

Typical Mikan.

But all eyes were glued to her as she got up, rubbing her nose and mumbling something to herself. Even Natsume was stunned, though it didn't show on his face, about her looks. He couldn't help but tell himself that his outfit choice for her was a good one.

Mikan was wearing a black mini skirt with a strapless, black and white polka-dotted shirt which showed off even more of her perfect shape than her usual tight shirts did. She had white stockings like Hotaru's, pulled all the way past her knees, which were black and white, horizontally striped, and she was wearing only one of her black shoes with barely an inch of a heel. Her long hair was let loose, hanging down to her waist in a very fashionable manner.

"Idiot," Natsume mumbled, turning around to tear his gaze off of her.

Mikan stood up and went to retrieve her other shoe. Then she put it on, using Sumire for support, and dusted her hands off. "There you go, Mr. Bossy," she said to Natsume. "You got your way."

"Doesn't he always?" Nonoko muttered under her breath.

Natsume didn't look at her. "You have four hours to practice," he said. "Don't even think about leaving the building, because Jinno has guards stationed at all the entrances to make sure we don't cause any trouble."

"Fine."

* * *

Mikan paced back and forth behind the stage curtain, her heart throbbing uncomfortably hard against her chest. It was 7:00, and it was time for the show to start. Even though the guys were first, she still couldn't fight down the horror clawing at her insides.

"Relax," Anna told her for the third time. "Hotaru said we have nothing to worry about. Listen, I know you're the lead singer and you're the one, if any of us, that should be scared, but we're going to do perfect. We're going to show those guys up. We're going to show them who had the talent here."

Mikan took a deep breath and nodded. "Right," she said.

Hotaru was with the technicians, telling them exactly what to do as far as lighting and such and Nonoko and Sumire were in the bathroom putting on their makeup, since they had been tuning their instruments while the other three had been putting on their makeup.

The cheers from the audience were getting louder.

The White Tigers finally walked up to Anna and Mikan from their dressing room, where they had been having a brief meeting. Natsume didn't even look at her as he walked over to the curtain. He waited for the rest of his band to catch up before he threw back the piece of cloth and walked out onto the stage.

The Stadium erupted in screams of joy.

"Alright! Who's ready for some music?" Ruka was speaking into the microphone.

More screams.

"What was that?"

Louder screams.

"Alright! We'll start with the song, Thunder."

Screams.

Mikan clasped her hands together and put them under her chin. She hadn't ever heard the guys perform before. She had never heard Natsume sing before. She wasn't expecting very sweet music. She was expecting something more like heavy metal.

She was proven wrong.

**(Natsume) **_Today is a winding road that's taking me to places that I didn't want to go._

_Whoa_

**(Ruka) **_Whoa, whoa, whoa…_

**(Natsume) **_Today in the blink of an eye, I'm holding to something and I do not know why,_

_I tried…_

_I tried to read between the lines,_

**(Ruka) **_I tried to look into your eyes._

**(Natsume) **_I want a simple explanation_

**(Ruka) **_For what I'm feeling inside…_

**(Natsume) **_I gotta find a way out. Maybe there's a way out._

_Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer  
Do you know you're unlike any other?  
You'll always be my thunder, and I said  
Your eyes are the brightest of all the colors.  
I don't wanna ever love another  
You'll always be my thunder  
So bring on the rain.  
And bring on the thunder_

Mikan gaped.

**(Ruka) **_Today is a winding road,_

_Tell me where to start and tell me something I don't know._

**(Natsume) **_Whoa…_

**(Ruka) **_Whoa, whoa, whoa…_

**(Natsume) **_Today I'm on my own. _

_I can't move a muscle and I can't pick up the phone._

_I don't know._

**(Ruka) **_I don't know, I don't know, I don't know…_

**(Natsume) **_And now I'm itching for the tall grass, _

_And longing for the breeze._

**(Ruka) **_I need to step outside,_

_Just to see if I can breathe._

**(Natsume) **_I gotta find a way out._

_Maybe there's a way out._

_Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer  
Do you know you're unlike any other?  
You'll always be my thunder, and I said  
Your eyes are the brightest of all the colors.  
I don't wanna ever love another  
You'll always be my thunder  
So bring on the rain._

_Yeah, I'm walking on a tightrope,_

_I'm wrapped up in vines._

_I think we'll make it out_

_But you just gotta give me time._

_Strike me down with lightening,_

_Let me feel you in my veins._

_I wanna let you know how much I feel your pain._

_Today is a winding road that's taking me to places that I didn't want to go._

_Whoa…_

_Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer  
Do you know you're unlike any other?  
You'll always be my thunder, and I said  
Your eyes are the brightest of all the colors.  
I don't wanna ever love another  
You'll always be my thunder  
So bring on the rain.  
And bring on the thunder, and I said  
Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer  
Do you know you're unlike any other?  
You'll always be my thunder  
So bring on the rain  
Oh baby bring on the pain  
And listen to the thunder._

A wave of screams carried through the entire stadium.

Mikan was still standing there with her mouth hanging open, catching flies. She couldn't believe that _they _had come up with such sweet music. _Her _band had more attitude in their songs than they did.

"Okay, now we're handing the mic over to the girl band that we invited to this concert," Ruka said, obviously trying to catch his breath. "Believe me, we've heard them play and they've got quite a bit to give. For all you guys out there that like a good show, here's the Fallen Angels!"

Nonoko, Sumire, and Hotaru had joined Anna and Mikan, and Hotaru had to give their lead singer a nudge to get her moving. The rest of them didn't have a problem with walking out onto the stage and switching places with the guys, by Mikan was trembling.

"Good luck," Ruka said as they passed by the girls.

Mikan took a deep breath and pushed her nervousness away. Then she pranced onto the stage, and no one could tell that she was wishing that the room was empty. She snatched the microphone off of its stand. "Okay, are you ready?" she said.

More screams. She felt the adrenaline of joy course through her veins.

"Ladies, let's show those guys whose got the attitude here!" She returned the microphone to the stand and looked over her shoulder at her band, trying to ignore the eyes of the guys that were closest to her, watching her intently.

The music started. She waited, counting beats in her head and using her foot to aid her, tapping it gently on the stage and going over the notes in her head.

This was their new single, so Mikan was the only one singing.

_I'm in the business of misery,_

_Let's take it from the top._

_She's got a body like an hourglass that's ticking like a clock._

_It's a matter of time before we all run out._

_When I thought he was mine she caught him by the mouth._

_I waited eight long months,_

_She finally set him free._

_I told him I couldn't lie,_

_He was the only one for me._

_Two weeks we had caught on fire,_

_She's got it out for me, but I wear the biggest smile._

_Whoa... Well I never meant to brag,  
But I got him where I want him now.  
Whoa... it was never my intention to brag,  
To steal it all away from you now.  
But God does it feel so good  
'Cause I got him where I want him now  
And if you could then you know you would  
'Cause God it just feels so...  
It just feels so good._

Mikan was getting more and more into it, slowly forgetting the nausea she felt in her stomach.

Backstage, the guys were staring.

"They're good," Koko admitted.

"And they look good," Tsubasa added.

"This is their new one, isn't it?" Ruka asked, turning to Natsume.

Natsume nodded, his eyes still glued on Mikan's back.

**(Mikan)** _Second chances they don't ever matter, people never change._

_Once a whore, you're nothing more, I'm sorry that'll never change._

_And about forgiveness we're both supposed to have exchanged._

_I'm sorry honey, but I'm passing up, now look this way._

_Well there's a million other girls that do it just like you._

_Looking as innocent as possible to get to who_

_They want and what they like, it's easy if you do it right._

_Well I refuse, I refuse, I refuse!_

_Whoa... Well I never meant to brag,  
But I got him where I want him now.  
Whoa... it was never my intention to brag,  
To steal it all away from you now.  
But God does it feel so good  
'Cause I got him where I want him now  
And if you could then you know you would  
'Cause God it just feels so...  
It just feels so good._

_I watched his wildest dreams come true__  
Not one of them involving you  
Just watch my wildest dreams come true  
Not one of them involving ..._

_Whoa, well I never meant to brag  
But I got him where I want him now ..._

_Whoa... Well I never meant to brag,  
But I got him where I want him now.  
Whoa... it was never my intention to brag,  
To steal it all away from you now.  
But God does it feel so good  
'Cause I got him where I want him now  
And if you could then you know you would  
'Cause God it just feels so...  
It just feels so good._

Mikan released her breath. Her hair was sticking to her back and her neck and she panting hard. She felt great!

Hotaru and Sumire strummed the last chord on their guitars, Nonoko hit the last key on her keyboard, and Anna it the last beat on her drums.

The stadium erupted in another chorus of cheering.

And the show went on.

It was after 11:00 pm when all nine band members had finished showering and getting dressed into normal clothes. All of them appeared to be exhausted, especially Natsume and Mikan, who weren't used to singing for so long.

Mikan's voice was hoarse. "Oh, jeez," she muttered, putting her hand over her throat.

Hotaru smirked. "You need practice."

Mikan moaned. "Great."

The girls were first to get out of the stuffy stadium and step out into the cool night air. It was fresh and easy to breathe, but it just so happened that they ended up wishing they hadn't been the first ones out of the building.

The White Tigers were still changing, and the girls just planned on waiting for them in the limousine Jinno and Narumi has assigned to them, since the guys would only be a few more minutes. But apparently, the teachers hadn't given them enough protection.

The limo was sitting out on the street. The exhaust was seeping from the exhaust pipe, indicating, along with the low rumble of the engine, that the vehicle was running. All the girls expected it to be running so that it could be heated for when they arrived, since it was cold outside.

Even Hotaru didn't see it coming.

Mikan opened the back door, laughing as Nonoko and Anna argued over something clearly not worth arguing about. When she turned back to the car to watch her step before she got in so that she didn't end up on her face again, she screamed and back up.

There was a man in a dark suit with dark sunglasses right in her face.

Hotaru cursed, and the rest of them screamed as another man appeared behind them and pushed all five of them into the back of the limo.

* * *

"Natsume!" Ruka was pounding on the dressing room door.

Natsume rolled his eyes and went to answer it. "What?" he said, jerking the door open.

Ruka's eyes were wide with panic. "The girls are gone!" he said frantically. "The limo is too. Koko and I heard them scream and we went to go check it out, and they were gone."

Natsume glowered. He knew it. He had seen the guys dressed in black amongst the rowdy teenagers in the audience. He had seen them, but he had ignored them, telling himself that he wouldn't let a couple of bad guys ruin their first concert.

Apparently, the men, belonging to a group that Persona had Natsume and Ruka hunting down, hadn't been after the two boys.

They'd been fishing for bait.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so two chapters in one day probably isn't going to happen very often. I quite like how this one is going, though. I love the songs. hehe. Well, i guess if i didn't love the songs I probably wouldn't have used them.

But anyway, sorry for the cliffhanger. I'll try to update during the week, but it's not very likely...depending on how my volleyball tournament turns out.

Random thought: The first batch of cookies turned out all right...but I forgot the second batch in the oven and i wound up leaving them in 20 minutes longer than they were supposed to be...They're a little hard. Just a little. I can be so dense sometimes.

Thanks for the reveiws!

xoxo

Ducky-san


	3. Chapter 3 Rescued

No, unfortunately I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

"You do realize that you can't let these men get away for the sake of those girls' lives, don't you?" Persona was pacing back and forth in front of Natsume and Ruka. "The men belong to the AAO, and I'm sure you already know that they took the girls as bait." He stopped pacing and looked over to his students. "I'm still debating whether or not we should let you go."

Ruka flinched.

Natsume glowered. Just the thought of not being able to compete with the girls was depressing…but not being able to make fun of Mikan in any way again, unless they were fighting when the AAO decided to turn the girls into weapons…he couldn't let that happen.

"We're capable." Natsume glared at Persona's masked face. "We've handled far more dangerous cases involving hostages before. This one isn't much different." He cocked his eyebrow. "Do you honestly think that the Academy will _let _you leave them?"

"The Academy will protect its students," Persona replied.

"This isn't protecting them," Ruka chimed in. "This is giving them up for dead. And Natsume's right. We've handled things like this good enough before, and this isn't going to be much different."

Persona glared at him. "I was talking about _your _guys' safety." His expression relaxed. "And I must have you know that this attack would be much different, seeing as you two won't do anything to hurt your friends. It's much harder to do these things when you know the hostages." He let out a fake sigh. "But, if you're sure you won't let that stop you, then I don't see a point in making you leave it be." He smirked. "You can leave tonight."

* * *

Mikan's eyes welled up with tears as she sat up against the large, wooden crate. Her mouth was taped and her hands were tied behind her back. Her ankles were tied together, and her muscles were cramping up. Her friends were in similar positions.

But Mikan had a problem. Her nose was plugging up, and if she couldn't get the tape off of her mouth, she wouldn't be able to breathe.

Thus the tears.

Hotaru looked up. She frowned when she saw that her best friend's breaths were coming in fast and panicky, and then she realized what was going on and calmly managed to push herself to her feet.

Mikan watched as Hotaru turned around, bent her knees, and used her free fingers to tug at the tape. She pulled it free, and Mikan took a large, grateful gasp of air, filling her lungs with the much-needed oxygen.

Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire suddenly caught on, and Anna stood up and did the same thing for Sumire and Nonoko before sitting back down and letting Sumire take the tape off of her mouth and Hotaru's mouth.

"Now that we can talk again," Nonoko said in a shaking voice. "We should probably find out how to get out of here before the Men in Black come back."

They were in a warehouse of some sort, one that looked freakishly familiar to Mikan. There were big wooden crates piled up all over the place, and no windows let any of the light from the street lights or stars in.

Sumire recognized it too. "I never expected to end up back here," she mumbled, looking over to Mikan's teary expression.

Mikan shook her head.

This was the warehouse in which the two girls had been brought after the first part of their rescue mission for Natsume had failed, when they were only 10 years old. This was the place that Natsume had been about to blow up with him inside before Mikan bulldozed him over to stop him. This was the place where Reo had been blabbering on and on about _that person _and saying that they got more than they bargained for. This was the place that had given Mikan her first star.

They were in the exact same corner that the two girls had woken up in, lying beside an unconscious Natsume. It was in that corner that the Great Escape plan had commenced.

Hotaru was moving her wrists back and forth, trying to loosen the ropes. "You two have to forget about that," she said stoically. "You have to tell us where the door is and how you got out of here before." They were speaking in whispers.

Mikan looked around. "This is where we ended up when we tried to find Natsume," she said. "We're in a corner, and the door is just around the wall. They only reason we managed to get away before was because Natsume gave us a diversion."

Anna and Nonoko exchanged glances. "That was because there were people blocking your way to the exit, wasn't it?" they asked in unison.

Sumire and Mikan nodded.

Hotaru raised her eyebrow. "Do you hear anyone?" It wasn't a question to test their intelligence, but more of a question to make them realize that they weren't, as stupid as it was, being guarded by anyone.

Mikan's eyes widened. "Then let's get out of here!"

Hotaru eyed the ropes around their wrists and ankles. "First we have to get out of the ropes." As if on cue, her hands came free. First, she untied her ankles, and then she untied Mikan's wrists, who untied her own ankles and then untied Anna's, who did the same as Hotaru and Mikan had.

"Why don't they have us guarded?" Nonoko wondered out loud.

Hotaru stood up. "I suppose the poison they gave us didn't last as long as they'd hoped it would," she said with a shrug.

"Poison?" Mikan squeaked.

Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire put their fingers to their lips, telling her to keep quiet.

"A sleeping poison," Hotaru explained. "They either underestimated our bodies' filter systems, or they _wanted _us to wake up, which is very possible. So make sure you don't say a word and you keep quiet."

"Wait a second," Sumire was saying. "This is AAO. They've been after Natsume and Ruka for _years._ And after that incident seven, almost eight, years ago, they know what kind of relationship me and Mikan have with them. Maybe they expected it to have taken a step up, like falling in love and all that mush."

Mikan made a face.

"My point is, maybe they're _expecting _Natsume and Ruka to come after us, because they do all that stuff for Persona." Sumire's eyes were suddenly gleaming with fear. "If they aren't inside, they probably have people blocking the entrances outside."

Understanding crashed down, even on Hotaru.

Mikan was holding her breath. "But the guards aren't necessarily making sure _we _can't get out…They're making sure Natsume and Ruka don't get in."

* * *

Koko and Tsubasa paced back and forth in Natsume's huge room, where they had been told to wait…with all the fan mail.

Being as mischievous as they were, they had gone through a few of the letters, which Natsume had piled neatly on his working desk. And, to their amusement, all of the ones they had read had said that they were all hot and that Natsume should do a song with Mikan.

Being who they were, Koko and Tsubasa had been laughing for ten minutes.

But even so, they couldn't help but agree with the fans. After hearing Mikan sing, the two lead singers of both bands singing at least one song together would raise some serious eyebrows…in a good way.

First, though, they had to make sure Natsume and Ruka got the girls back.

* * *

The girls had come to the depressing agreement that they couldn't go anywhere without getting caught and that they would have to wait for the boys to come and get them, if they didn't get shot down first.

Mikan was pacing back and forth in front of her friends, deep in thought. She knew that both Natsume and Ruka were good, good enough to be working for Persona, and that their chances of being caught were slim, but that still couldn't erase her worry. Even though she absolutely despised both of them – she was sure that 'despised' was the right word – she was more worried about them than she was about herself.

"It's a good thing we changed into these," Anna said, motioning to her baggy T-shirt and black sweat pants, identical to the ones the rest of her friends were wearing.

Mikan barely heard her.

"Mikan, you can stop pacing," Hotaru said.

Mikan didn't listen.

Sumire glanced at Hotaru, Anna, and Nonoko, and then back up at Mikan. "Are you worried about them coming back to get you?" she asked. "Because they were saying something about how your Alice would be useful, too."

Mikan stopped and made face, as if she was remembering something. "I forgot about that," she said truthfully before continuing her pacing.

Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire sighed.

All of them, except Mikan, were sitting on the ground again. They'd hidden the ropes behind the crates so that, if someone happened to come in, they could easily lie down and pretend they were still unconscious and tied up.

Mikan stopped pacing and looked towards the opening of the corner. Then, she was dropping to the ground in a hurry and closing her eyes, lying in such a way that it truly looked like she was still tied up.

The others followed suit, for they soon heard the whispers and barely audible footsteps on the concrete floor.

Mikan didn't open her eyes until she felt someone's warm hand on her arm…too warm to be anyone else's, besides…

She sat up. "Natsume!" she whisper-cried happily, flinging her arms around his neck happily. "You came!" She didn't realize how much she'd been wanting him to come. She pulled away. "Are you hurt? Bruised?" She began examining his arms and face, using the little light they had from the other side of the warehouse.

His crimson eyes were glowing. "Get up," he ordered, grabbing her arm and dragging her to her feet. "We have to get out of here." He looked over her shoulder.

Mikan turned around to see if her friends were standing up and saw another person helping them up, one with stunningly blue eyes. Ruka currently had his arm around Hotaru's waist.

Hotaru was giving him an evil look.

"Should we call the Academy to bring a ride?" Ruka asked, turning to Natsume.

Natsume shrugged. "You can call for them," he said, pointing at Hotaru, Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire. "But she can't stay here any longer." He jabbed his thumb at Mikan. "Stay here with them, Ruka, and I'll take Polka-dots back right now."

"Why?" Mikan demanded, stomping her foot on the concrete ground and folding her arms over her chest. "I can stay here if I want!"

Natsume grabbed her wrist. "I don't think so," he said. "They've got at least twenty guys out there making sure that _you _don't get away, because Reo wants you. It seems her forgot that I know he wants you. Your friends will be fine."

Mikan glanced uneasily at her friends.

Ruka smiled reassuringly. "No one will touch them."

Biting her lip, Mikan nodded, using her free hand to wave.

"Bye, Mikan!" Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire whispered.

"Don't do anything stupid, baka," Hotaru said.

And then Natsume was dragging her through the familiar warehouse, towing Mikan behind him. He didn't stop until he was at the door that Mikan remembered leaving through almost 8 years before.

He turned to face her.

They were in the light now, so she could see all if his handsome features clearly. His crimson eyes bore into her while his hand crawled along her arm until his fingers wrapped around her upper arm, dragging her close.

"Stay right beside me," he told her in his famous, bored tone. With that, he kicked the door open and dragged her out, keeping her right beside him, almost close enough for her body to be touching his.

As soon as they were out, shouts and commands filled the quiet air. At least ten Men in Black were running at them from all different directions. Natsume didn't even look like he was trying as he raised his free hand and let the fire fly from his hand. The men coming from that direction stopped and back up, cautiously avoiding the deadly flames.

The move gave the others a chance to act, and Mikan screamed as one of them raised a gun and aimed it at Natsume. She panicked momentarily, but then he pulled her out of the way and the bullet soared past them, hitting one of the Men in Black coming from the right.

With a couple bursts of flames, a punch here, and a kick there, Natsume cleared a path and began to run again. His hand slipped down her arm again, heading back to her wrist, but she thought he was letting go and picked up her pace the catch up to him, snatching his hand and squeezing it tightly.

They could hear the men's voices following them down the allies, so Natsume pulled her against the wall, hiding them in the shadows.

She was trembling, her hand still grasping his. His other her arm was around her, making sure she didn't trip and fall face first in front of the herd of AAO members that were stampeding towards them.

The shadows hid them well and the men flew by them, unaware of their presence. Then, Natsume dragged Mikan off of the brick wall and slowly, cautiously, began to walk forward, looking around every so often. He took the precautions until they were out of the allies and back on the busy streets of Tokyo.

Mikan released the breath she had been holding and shivered in the cold February air. Before she even had a chance to blink, Natsume swept her off of her feet and onto his back.

The surprise disintegrated and she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck, ignoring the stare she was getting from the rare passer-bys. With a sigh, her rested her chin on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"What time is it?" she asked after awhile.

"Two o'clock in the morning."

Silence.

"Natsume?" Mikan opened her eyes. "Why haven't you gone out with anyone?" Honestly, it was just a question out of curiosity. "You've been asked by a lot of really pretty girls, but you've never said yes."

At first, she didn't think that he was going to answer, but she was proven wrong.

"None of your business."

She frowned. "Is it because of all the missions you do?" she pressed. "Because if someone really loved you, I don't think it would matter to them if you were putting them in danger." She paused. "It wouldn't bother me."

Natsume didn't let his confusion make it to his face or his voice. "And why are you asking me this?"

"Curiosity."

Silence.

Mikan had closed her eyes again. She was breathing in her rescuer's scent, and she was drifting. Still, she forced herself to stay conscious.

"You don't have to worry about being alone, Natsume," she mumbled warily. "'Cause I promise you'll always have me."

* * *

She didn't wake up again until she felt herself being lain on a soft bed, one that didn't feel soft enough to be hers. Her eyes fluttered open to blackness and she had to blink a few times before her eyes adjusted.

She turned her head and saw that Natsume was at his desk, standing behind the chair and tidying it up a bit. She frowned, wondering what she was doing with him. It didn't dawn on her that she was in his room before he turned and walked into his huge bathroom, which was something she certainly didn't have in her own room.

Feeling awake, Mikan sat up and rubbed her eyes. She looked around at the huge room, still frowning. It was so big that she couldn't see all of it. Even the bed was huge, probably king-sized.

She was right smack in the middle, which made her wonder where he planned to sleep.

She found out when he returned out of the bathroom in his boxers and a T-shirt. She stared at him in disbelief as he sat down on the edge of the bed and stared back at her, emotionless.

"What?" he said after awhile.

"I have a room," she said.

"It's locked."

"I have a key." Mikan tilted her head. "Oh, I left my bag in the Stadium dressing rooms." She looked back at him. "Can't you find one of the robot maids and get one remade so that I don't have to sleep _here._"

"The robot maids don't get up until five o'clock." Natsume threw the blankets back and climbed underneath them, laying so that she had plenty of room and he had barely any.

Giving him a quizzical look, she scooted over, giving him more room, but he didn't budge. "This is a king sized bed," she stated. "You don't have to lay on the edge of it. There's plenty of room."

He flipped over so that he was facing her, his eyes the only thing visible in the dark. "Shut up and sleep."

Her expression faltered, but a smile soon took over and she leaned forward, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for going after us, by the way," she said. "I wasn't ready to face Reo again."

Before she had a chance to pull away, he hand his hand on the back of her head and his lips against hers. Then, her reeled her in and made her fall on top of him. He pulled away from her lips and smirked at her dazed expression before planting kisses on her jawbone.

He flipped her over so that he was over top of her, using his arms to keep his body off of hers. He lifted one of his hands and brushed his fingers down her arm, her hip, the side of her leg, stopping when he got to her calf. He lifted her leg and hitched it around his waist.

"What the hell are you doing?" she whispered, though she was making no attempt to struggle. "I thought you said you didn't think any girls were worth your time or worth putting in danger."

"I didn't say that," he replied, leaning down and kissing her on the lips again.

"You were thinking it," she said when he pulled away. She put her arms around his neck and pulled herself up so that her lips were only millimeters away from his. "Or you were just being stubborn."

He pulled away and chuckled as he lay down, his back to her. "You were getting your hopes up."

She glared at his back. "Jerk. I hate you."

"Whatever."

* * *

A/N: Sorry if the chapter wasn't great. I promise the next one will be better!

Thanks for all the reviews! I love you guys!!

PS - My volleyball team got the silver medal at the tourament! And I lost my voice! Woot!

xoxo

Ducky-san


	4. Chapter 4 Hunted part 1

No, unfortunately I don't own Gakuen Alice, or the songs used.

The Last Night by Skillet

Faded by the Veronicas

* * *

Mikan stared out the window of her room, her elbow propped up on the windowsill and her cheek cradled in the palm of her hand. The rain pattered softly against the glass, but she was barely aware of the soothing sound.

She was more focused on her messed up feelings.

Unfortunately, she hadn't had a whole lot a time to think about the things going on around her, the people she was letting herself fall dangerously close to. Her passion for music and her strong want to keep her grades up was making her fall behind in herself.

A light wrap on her door dragged her out of her reverie. She pulled herself away from her window and strode over to the door. She's been expecting to see one of her band mates, and seeing Natsume's band standing there definitely shocked her.

"We have something to discuss with you and your band," Natsume said roughly.

Mikan shot him a scornful glare. "What about?" she demanded.

Ruka held out a piece of paper for her to read. It looked like a fan letter.

"What?" Mikan gave the piece of paper a curious glance. "You get them all the time. What's the big deal?" She looked up at Ruka, her eyes wide and innocent. "There's really no reason to be here." She was hinting for them to leave, that was written all over her face, plain and simple.

"Read it, idiot." Natsume snatched it away from Ruka and waved it closer to her face.

Mikan scowled and grabbed the piece of paper. Natsume watched in amusement as her eyes scanned over the page and slowly began to widen in absolute horror. When she looked back up at them and practically threw the paper at Ruka's face, she looked as though she could be pushed over with a touch from a feather.

Tsubasa, who was standing behind Ruka, chuckled.

Koko had to restrain himself before he burst into a fit of his annoying laughter.

"I'm _not _singing with you," Mikan stated firmly, shaking her head to throw her train of thought back on track. "I'm not singing a duet with you, Natsume Hyuuga, no way in hell."

"This is for the fans, Mikan," Ruka assured her.

But Mikan was barely listening. She was still glowering at Natsume. _He's so mean, _she thought angrily. She shuddered in disgust as she remembered the feel of his lips against hers, a thought that brought her back to her previous predicament, before she had been so rudely disturbed. _Why on earth did I kiss him back? _

Ruka waved his hand in front of her face. "Uh, Mikan?"

She'd zoned out.

* * *

Anna clapped enthusiastically. "I think they should do it!"

They were currently at a meeting in the school's music room, The Fallen Angels and The White Tigers, Natsume and Mikan, all together in one, spacious, echoing room. That could only mean one thing.

As usual, the two lead singers were bickering back and forth while the rest of the people in the room talked amongst themselves, trying to tune out the loud voices.

"I'm not doing it!" Mikan insisted.

"If you don't do it, I lose fans, and that means I lose money," Natsume argued stoically.

"What would we even sing?" she argued. "I don't have any boy-girl duet songs!"

"We do, Mikan," Koko piped up. He dug through Ruka's briefcase, which was sitting against his chair. When he stood up, there was a thin booklet in his hands, the papers stapled together in the corner. He held it out to her.

Mikan looked to her band for help, but they all nodded eagerly (except for Hotaru, of course).

Rolling her eyes, she took the paper from his outstretched hand and read over it from where she was standing in the middle of the room, facing Natsume, who was also standing, but in an a lot calmer fashion.

_The Last Night, Broken, and Gotta Go My Own Way_

Seeing that the first choice only had a few parts for her, she smiled. "I'm willing to sing 'The Last Night', but that's it," she said, giving the papers back to Koko. Photocopy the song lyrics for all of us and have it to us by tonight." She turned to leave, but Tsubasa stopped her in her tracks.

"We have another concert."

The room fell silent, mostly because of the girls' shocked expressions (once again, except for Hotaru).

Mikan was facing the door, so her facial features weren't visible, but Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire's mouths were hanging open impossibly far and their eyes were as wide as saucers.

"When?" Hotaru asked calmly.

"A month."

"WHAT?" Mikan spun on her heel to face them, her eyes dancing with rage. "A MONTH? That's hardly any time at all! How do you expect me to learn that song in _a month_?"

"You'll find a way, Polka-dots," Natsume said before stalking gracefully out of the room. His band members followed closely behind.

"Another one?" Nonoko finally said, breaking the deafening silence. She sounded uneasy. "But last time…"

"The Academy will take extra caution this time, Nonoko," Hotaru reassured them. "We won't be getting kidnapped again. Both Ruka and Natsume have been told to keep us in their sight at all times, and we are not to leave the building without them."

Mikan was stunned. "You knew, didn't you?"

"Yes."

Sumire, Nonoko, and Anna turned to her. "And you have everything planned out already, don't you?"

Hotaru placed her own briefcase gently on her lap and undid the latches. She filed through some of the papers before finally stopping and pulling a booklet out, much thicker than the one Koko had handed her, and placing it in Mikan's awaiting hands. "You'll be singing two songs with Natsume, no arguments."

Mikan stared at the names of the songs. _Faded, Emergency. With Natsume: Broken, The Last Night._

The rest of her band stared at her expectantly, waiting for her reply. When they received nothing but a blank look, Anna burst out laughing.

"What?" Mikan asked, clueless.

Nonoko and Sumire joined in the laughter. "You should have seen your face!" Sumire managed to choke out. "You looked like you just saw a plane crash, or something crazy."

Mikan's lips twitched into a small smile.

"Enough talk." Hotaru stood up. "We need to practice."

* * *

"I think we have a right to choose our own costumes, perverted jerk!" Mikan crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Natsume's emotionless face. "This isn't just your concert this time."

"Too bad." Natsume's tone indicated the end of the conversation. "We'll have your outfits for you the day of." He made his way to the door of her room. "7:00 tonight, music room." And then he was gone.

They had three days left of rehearsals, one day for a break, and then it was the day of the concert. They'd already been practicing with each other, and that hadn't gone too well for the first few times. By the fourth practice with The White Tigers, however, Mikan found herself getting so absorbed by Natsume's voice that she _almost_ forgot the words – and that was why it hadn't worked the first couple of times, because she _had _forgotten the words.

Mikan sighed and let her anger fade. Her face was getting sore from frowning so much. She had to relax so she didn't look like a wrinkly old fart on stage.

She sank to her queen-sized bed and closed her eyes, trying to clear her thoughts of all her stress. There was so much to do, so much to think about, so many people to impress. If was driving her over the edge.

There was a knock on her door and she let a frustrated groan escape her lips. She stood up, her long hair, which was let loose, falling graciously down her back. She stormed over to the door and tore it open.

Sumire, Nonoko, Anna, and Hotaru stood on the other side of the wood, all but one smiling.

"Let's practice, Mikan!" And they grabbed her wrist and pulled.

* * *

"NATSUME! I'M NOT WEARING THAT!" Mikan stomped her foot as if to prove her point. They were standing face to face backstage, five hours before the show. He was holding out a costume for her.

It was in black and white again, but this time there was no back to the black and white polka-dot shirt, giving her even less comfort.

She struggled to contain her voice. "If you're going to force me into wearing one of those slutty little outfits again, then at least let me wear the same shirt as last time." She pushed her bangs off of her forehead. "You're so pushy."

Natsume tossed the back-less shirt aside and pulled the old one off of the rack, followed by a headband of some sort with long, floppy things…

"Oh, no." Mikan's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not wearing _bunny ears!_"

"You don't have a choice." He raised an eyebrow, as if challenging her.

Mikan gave the outfit in Natsume's arms a disgusted look. "On second thought, I'll pick my own outfit. You can't make me wear any of that. Nice try." She turned to the rack and began rifling through the clothing.

"You're wearing this." He shoved it into her arms.

Mikan staggered back. "No, I'm not," she said once she regained her balance. "And you can't make me." She held the pile of clothes out to him.

Natsume seized her arm. "Do you wanna bet?"

Mikan glared. "You wouldn't."

Without another word, he began to tow her to one of the change rooms. He opened the first door he saw and pushed her in, following close behind, slamming the door, and then locking it.

Mikan was wordlessly shocked. She dropped the clothes to the floor and leaned against the far wall, across the small room from Natsume. He was staring at her with that famous blank look of his, but she was too…_dense _to realize he was serious.

She laughed half-heartedly, still trying to capture her breath, which she had lost when he closed the door behind him. "Oh, you're intimidating," she said sarcastically. "Natsume Hyuuga wouldn't actually force me to wear that." She pointed at the heap of clothes on the floor. "You're too much of a chicken."

"You think _I'm _a chicken?" he challenged.

She shrugged. "Sure."

He advanced towards her. "Are you serious?"

Mikan shrugged again. "Yes."

He grabbed her arms, pinning them to her sides. "Even you're smarter than to question this, Polka-dots." He smirked. "Unless you _want _me to undress you."

She scowled at him. "Hands off, Hyuuga."

"You believe me now?"

She managed to free one of her arms. "Out." She pointed to the door. "I'll wear the damn costume. But you _aren't _putting it on me."

He rolled his eyes. "Like I'd want to see _you _of all people in nothing but undergarments."

* * *

Mr. Narumi, The Fallen Angels' manager, stepped onto the stage and calmed the crowd. "Tonight we'll be starting off with The Fallen Angels and their newest song, Faded! Are you ready to rock?"

The crowd screamed.

"All right! The Fallen Angels!"

Mikan pranced onto the stage, waving at the crowd with a bright smile on her face. Mr. Narumi wished them good luck as he passed, and then he disappeared behind the curtain.

Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire started with the music. Hotaru and Mikan took the two microphones at the front of the stage, closest to the reaching hands of all their desperate fans.

**(Anna, Nonoko, Sumire) **_Faded, faded, slipping away…_

**(Mikan) **_You never take  
Take the time to really look  
Look at the one  
The one I really am  
_**(Hotaru) **_You try to fit  
To fit me in your perfect box  
You let me slip  
Between the cracks_

**(Mikan)** _Now I'm faded  
Into someone else  
Baby someone I don't wanna be  
_**(Hotaru) **_Yeah I'm faded  
My true color's gone  
Like a picture nobody sees_

**(Hotaru and Mikan) **_I bet you don't  
_**(Mikan) **_Don't even know my favorite song  
You tell me how  
How I should wear my hair  
_**(Hotaru) **_You wanna change  
Everything I ever was  
Try to erase me  
'Til I'm not there_

**(Mikan)** _Now I'm faded  
Into someone else  
Baby someone I don't wanna be  
_**(Hotaru) **_Yeah I'm faded  
My true color's gone  
Like a picture nobody sees_

**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_Now I'm faded  
Like I never was  
'Til I don't even know myself  
_**(Mikan) **_Yeah I'm faded  
Into what you want  
But I'm not taking it too well  
_

**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_I don't wanna be your little picture-perfect-pretty-girl  
Who's got nothing to say  
And I'm not gonna wait around for you  
To run my whole life down  
I'll let you watch me fade away_

Mikan tapped her foot to the beat.

**(Hotaru) **_You try to fit_

_To fit me in the perfect box_

**(Mikan) **_You let me slip_

_Between the cracks_

**(Mikan)** _Now I'm faded  
Into someone else  
Baby someone I don't wanna be  
_**(Hotaru) **_Yeah I'm faded  
My true color's gone  
Like a picture nobody sees_

**(Mikan and Hotaru)**_Now I'm faded  
Like I never was  
'Til I don't even know myself  
_**(Mikan)**_Yeah I'm faded  
Into what you want  
But I'm not taking it too well_

**(Anna, Nonoko, Sumire) **_Faded, faded, I'm slipping away…_

_Faded, faded, I'm so far away…_

The screams erupted, people cheered.

Mr. Narumi returned to the stage while the girls set up for their next performance, one that Mikan wasn't looking forward to.

"Now we'll have both The White Tigers and The Fallen Angels perform a song called 'The Last Night'." And he danced off the stage once more.

It was mostly girls that could be heard screaming when Natsume's band came onto the stage, but they ignored their fans completely and took their places. Natsume grabbed Mikan by the upper arm and hauled her over, making her stumble against him.

"If you forget the words, Polka-dots," He caught a strand of her long hair, "I'm going to burn all of this pretty hair of yours."

Mikan rolled her eyes and pulled away. "I won't forget the words."

The screams were extremely loud when the music began, both bands working together, and it took a lot of self control for Mikan to keep her attention fixed on her work rather than her fans.

**(Natsume)**_You come to me with scars on your wrist  
You tell me this will be the last night feeling like this  
_**(Mikan) **_I just came to say goodbye  
I didn't want you to see me cry, I'm fine  
_**(Natsume) **_But I know it's a lie._

_This is the last night you'll spend alone  
Look me in the eyes so I know you know  
I'm everywhere you want me to be.  
The last night you'll spend alone,  
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go,  
I'm everything you need me to be. _

Your parents say everything is your fault  
But they don't know you like I know you they don't know you at all  
**(Mikan) **_I'm so sick of when they say_

_It's just a phase, you'll be okay, you're fine_

**(Natsume) **_But I know it's a lie._

_This is the last night you'll spend alone  
Look me in the eyes so I know you know  
I'm everywhere you want me to be.  
The last night you'll spend alone,  
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go,  
I'm everything you need me to be.  
_

**(Ruka) **_The last night away from me_

Natsume caught her wrist and used his eyes to point somewhere in the throng of people. Confused, she followed his gaze.

**(Natsume) **_The night is so long when everything's wrong  
If you give me your hand I will help you hold on  
Tonight,  
Tonight._

**(Mikan and Natsume) **_This is the last night you'll spend alone_

**(Natsume) **_Look me in the eyes so I know you know_

_I'm everywhere you want me to be._

_The last night you'll spend alone,_

_I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go,_

_I'm everything you need me to be._

_I won't let you say goodbye,  
I'll be your reason why. _

The last night away from me,  
Away from me. 

Mikan didn't think she had ever heard a crowd cheer so loud before. But she wasn't focused on that. She was focused on the group of six Men in Black making their way through the crowd towards the stage, sunglasses over their eyes and annoyed looks on their smug faces.

She looked up to decipher Natsume's expression.

He was still holding her wrist, staring blankly at the crowd, hoping that the men would see, to give them a warning.

Ruka was at his side in a second, looking first at Natsume, then at Mikan, and then over his shoulder at the rest of the girls.

No, the screaming crowd wasn't their first priority.

The advancing AAO men, however, were.

* * *

A/N: Please don't kill me for the late update. I've been, uh, busy! Yeah, busy! Actually, no, I use that excuse all the time. The truth is that i was utterly unenthusiasitc about writing fanfictions for awhile. I was more focused on my own book. Sorry about that, guys.

Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapters! I need the support!

xoxo

Ducky-san


	5. Chapter 5 Hunted part 2

No, unfortunately I don't own Gakuen Alice.

I don't own the songs, either.

Sleepless Night (Never Let Her Go) belongs to Faber Drive

Emergency belongs to Paramore

Broken belongs to Seether and Amy Lee

Obvious belongs to Faber Drive

* * *

Mr. Narumi, under Natsume's order, had called a five-minute intermission, giving the two bands enough time to talk about the problem at hand.

Mikan was almost trembling with fear as she recalled the last two times Reo and his gang of misfits had managed to capture her. She snuck an uneasy glance in Sumire's direction, and she saw a similar look of horror on her pale face.

Ruka and Natsume, who had been talking quietly amongst themselves to the side, came back to join the group, Ruka looking grim and Natsume looking utterly bored, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his black baggy shorts. Typical Natsume.

Mr. Narumi wasn't with them, but talking to the security guards.

"They won't try to take any of you," Ruka informed the girls, offering them a weak but reassuring smile. "Not in front of all these people. For now, you have nothing to fret over. They won't try anything that could jeopardize Reo's organization in front of this many people."

"And they won't try to get anywhere near you girls while Ruka and I are with you," Natsume added stoically. He turned to Mikan and glared at her. "So if you let them scare you and mess up on our next song, I'm going to be the only one you should be scared of."

The tone he used made Mikan believe him.

Hotaru cast the closed curtain an uninterested glance. "Are you planning on telling us why they want us in the first place?" She jabbed her thumb at Koko and Tsubasa. "And are they supposed to be part of the group you consider 'girls'?"

Ruka shook his head. "We'll tell you everything later." He smiled at the looks on his band mates' faces. "No, Tsubasa and Koko are not in any sort of danger."

Anna was clinging to Nonoko's bare arm, her long, slender fingers creating an unmistakable death grip around her best friend's wrist. "What would anyone have to do with us?" she whined. "We're just a couple of normal teenagers!" She gave Mikan and Sumire a wary sidelong glance. "Well, except for you two."

Sumire glared at her to cover up her fear. "What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

Anna didn't have time to reply before Natsume was butting in. "Like Ruka said, you don't have anything to worry about," he said calmly. "They won't be making any moves while we're here. The most they'll do is watch how you move, see what kinds of things they'll have to do to catch you."

Mikan swallowed the lump in her throat and attempted to talk. "But you two won't let them catch us, will you?" she managed to choke out. "You won't let them take us." Her voice was hopeful, but she couldn't even begin to disguise the sharp edge of fear that made it tremble.

Natsume snorted. "Yeah, right," he said. "That would make me and Ruka look bad, letting them get you."

Ruka couldn't help the smile tug at the corners of his mouth. _Nice excuse, Natsume, _he thought with an inward laugh.

Mikan tried to muffle her sigh of relief, unsuccessfully.

Nonoko didn't look moved, almost like Hotaru, but Nonoko was smiling. "I'm not worried about anything," she said proudly. She met each frightened gaze (and Hotaru's piercing, bored one) of her friends, her eyes shining. "Ruka and Natsume are the most skilled members of…" She frowned, "…whatever it is they're members of."

Tsubasa stepped in before she could continue. "We need to get back out there," he announced.

Natsume nodded and turned. His band went first with one of their songs, The Fallen Angels would followed with one of their songs, and then it was another duet. Without another word, he led the way back onto the stage.

Mikan closed her eyes, her fingers intertwined by her heart. She tried to let Natsume's voice, his words, calm her.

**(Ruka) **_Whoa, whoa…_

**(Natsume) **_Another sleepless night and  
Still staring at the ceiling  
I can hear him fighting  
With her for no good reason  
Will this ever end?  
Will this house be a home again?_

_If I had my way  
I'd corner him and say  
_

_Put yourself in her position  
All she needs is recognition  
Love's not enough when you say it  
Don't you know you've gotta mean it  
_

**(Ruka, Tsubasa, Koko) **_Screwing up the best thing ever  
Is something you'll regret forever_

**(Natsume) **_Another day goes by and nothing changed  
He's still the same  
I can hear her crying  
Thinking she's the one to blame  
Will this ever end?  
Will this house be a home again?_

_If I had my way  
I'd corner him and say_

_  
Put yourself in her position  
All she needs is recognition  
Love's not enough when you say it  
Don't you know you gotta mean it?_

_Screwing up the best thing ever  
Is something you'll regret forever  
Take her and make sure she feels it  
Let her know you'll never let her go_

**(Ruka, Tsubasa, Koko) **_Screwing up the best thing ever  
Is something you'll regret forever_

**(Natsume) **_Another sleepless night and nothing changed  
He's still the same  
Another stupid fight and someone's gotta say_

It wasn't working as well as she had hoped.

_Put yourself in her position  
All she needs is recognition  
Love's not enough when you say it  
Don't you know you gotta mean it?_

_Screwing up the best thing ever  
_**(Ruka) **_Is something you'll regret forever  
_**(Natsume) **_Take her and make sure she feels it  
Let her know you'll never let her go_

_Never let her go  
No, no, no_

_Put yourself in her position  
All she needs is recognition  
Take her and make sure she feels it  
Let her know you'll never let her go._

Mikan was almost vibrating when she took a step towards the curtain. Anna, Nonoko, Sumire, and Hotaru were at her side in seconds, offering her as much comfort as they could muster. It was enough.

Natsume passed her, sweaty and panting, and he rolled his eyes. "Relax," he whispered in her ear.

She nodded and stepped out onto the stage. She was trying to focus on not forgetting the words, so she had to keep her gaze averted anywhere but on the crowd. By the time the music started, she almost forgot what song she was supposed to be singing.

_Emergency. _She could have laughed. _That's ironic._

She took a deep, shaky breath.

**(Mikan) **_I think we have an emergency  
I think we have an emergency_

**(Anna, Nonoko, Sumire) **_If you thought I'd leave, then you were wrong  
Cause I won't stop holding on_

**(Mikan) **_So are you listening?  
So are you watching me?  
_

**(Anna, Nonoko, Sumire) **_If you thought I'd leave, then you were wrong  
Cause I won't stop holding on_

**(Mikan) **_This is an emergency  
So are you listening? _

**(Hotaru) **_And I can't pretend that I don't see this_

**(Mikan) **_It's really not your fault  
That no one cares to talk about it,  
Talk about it_

'_Cause I've seen love die  
Way too many times  
When it deserved to be alive  
_**(Hotaru)**_(When it deserved to be alive)  
_**(Mikan) **_I've seen you cry  
Way too many times  
When you deserve to be alive, alive_

_So you give up every chance you get  
Just to feel new again_

_I think we have an emergency  
I think we have an emergency_

_And you do your best to show me love,  
but you don't know what love is.  
_

_So are you listening?  
So are you watching me? _

**(Hotaru) **_Well I can't pretend that I don't see this_

**(Mikan) **_It's really not your fault  
That no one cares to talk about it,  
Talk about it_

'_Cause I've seen love die  
Way too many times  
When it deserved to be alive  
_**(Hotaru)**_(When it deserved to be alive)  
_**(Mikan) **_I've seen you cry  
Way too many times  
When you deserve to be alive, alive_

**(Anna, Nonoko, Sumire) **_These scars, they will not fade away._

**(Hotaru) **_No one cares to talk about it, talk about it_

**(Mikan)**_'Cause I've seen love die  
Way too many times  
When it deserved to be alive  
_**(Hotaru)**_(When it deserved to be alive)  
_**(Mikan) **_I've seen you cry  
Way too many times  
When you deserve to be alive, alive_

By the end of the performance, she was barely aware that the song had finished. Somehow, her eyes had managed to wander back to the crowd, therefore landing on the group of AAO members, all of them looking up at her from behind their intimidating sunglasses.

Hotaru had to tap her shoulder to get her attention. When she saw that Mikan wasn't responding very well, she grabbed her shaking hand and pulled her off of the stage and behind the protection of the curtain.

"Would you please snap out of it, idiot?" Hotaru said quietly once they were away from the fans' eyes. "You're making yourself look bad. The press it out there. You don't want to make yourself look bad in front of them. They'll make up lies to get what they consider a good story, and you don't need to help them with that."

Mikan shook her head violently. "Sorry," she said sincerely. "At least I didn't screw up."

"And you better not screw up when you sing with Natsume," Sumire reminded her. "He'll burn you alive."

Mr. Narumi was on the stage, announcing the next song. "Natsume and Mikan with their new one, 'Broken'!"

Mikan sighed, but she wasn't dense enough to not notice the feeling of her fear slowly disappearing at the thought of being with Natsume. With a nudge from Nonoko, she stumbled out onto the stage, where The White Tigers were already arranging the equipment.

The Fallen Angels took their places and Mikan went to join Natsume at the front of the stage. It was at that moment that she suddenly realized, with a surge of alarm, how close Reo's gooneys had come to the stage, almost within reaching distance. Almost. Not quite, but almost.

She cast a wide-eyed glance at Natsume.

He surprised her by tucking her hair behind her ear, leaning down so that his lips were barely touching her ear, and whispering, "Calm down," in a very serene manner, so serene that she actually almost listened.

To her extreme embarrassment, the crowd went wild.

She shot him a glare, but he wasn't looking anymore. He was adjusting the height of the microphone stand. Then he looked over his shoulder and nodded at Nonoko and Ruka, who started the music at the exact same moment.

**(Natsume) **_I wanted you to know that I love the way you laugh  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away  
I keep your photograph and I know it serves me well  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain_

**(Mikan and Natsume) **_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away  
_

**(Natsume) **_You've gone away, you don't feel me, anymore_

**(Mikan) **_The worst is over now and we can breathe again  
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away  
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain_

**(Mikan and Natsume) **_'Cause I'm broken when I'm open  
And I don't feel like I am strong enough  
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away  
_

Mikan had to close her eyes to keep from hyperventilating. She knew what Sumire had said to her was true, about Natsume burning her alive.

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm open  
And I don't feel like I am strong enough  
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away  
_

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away  
_

**(Natsume) **_You've gone away  
You don't feel me here anymore_

At first, Mikan thought that the screams from the crowd were ones of fright, and her eyes snapped open, but she saw the smiles on their faces, the glee, and she realized she was paranoid. She turned on her heel as fast as she could to get away from the AAO members in the crowd, the ones that had gotten so close that they could have reached up and grabbed her.

Natsume's band stayed on stage.

Hotaru saw Mikan slump against the wall and slide down to the floor, her eyes still closed, and went to join her. Surprisingly, she placed her cold hand over her best friend's, but she kept her mouth shut. Mikan probably wouldn't have been able to hear unless Hotaru shouted anyway.

**(Natsume) **_They're scared of his make-up, tattoos, and piercings  
They say that it's too bad  
He won't amount to anything  
They judge by the way he looks  
_**(Ruka) **_Whoa  
_**(Natsume) **_The cover's not quite like a book  
He's just so misunderstood  
_**(Ruka) **_Whoa, Whoa, Whoa_

**(Natsume) **_Cause it's so obvious  
There's nothing wrong with us at all  
It's our life, we're alright  
No, we're not about to go and make  
The same mistakes you might have made_

_It's so obvious  
So just stop blaming us  
Because it's not wrong to be young  
No we're not about to go and make the same mistakes you might have made  
No, we're not about to go and make the same mistakes_

_She's eighteen  
So sexy  
She's never made love  
Her so-called friends are saying  
She sleeps with everyone  
They judge by the way she looks  
_**(Ruka) **_Whoa  
_**(Natsume) **_Her cover's not quite like a book  
She's been so misunderstood  
_**(Ruka) **_Whoa, Whoa, Whoa  
_

**(Natsume) **_Cause it's so obvious  
There's nothing wrong with us at all  
It's our life, we're alright  
No, we're not about to go and make  
The same mistakes you might have made_

_It's so obvious  
So just stop blaming us  
Because it's not wrong to be young  
No we're not about to go and make the same mistakes you might have made  
No, we're not about to go and make the same mistakes_

_They judge by the way we look  
_**(Ruka) **_Whoa  
_**(Natsume) **_The covers not quite like the book  
We're just so misunderstood  
_**(Ruka) **_Whoa, Whoa, Whoa  
_

**(Natsume) **_It's so obvious  
There's nothing wrong with us at all  
It's our life, we're alright  
No, we're not about to go and make  
The same mistakes you might have made_

_It's so obvious  
So just stop blaming us  
Because it's not wrong to be young  
No we're not about to go and make the same mistakes you might have made  
No, we're not about to go and make the same mistakes_

* * *

Mikan had her head in her hands. They were back at the school, and they had gotten away safely, but nothing could have prepared her for the news that Ruka and Natsume had shared with the girls when they got back.

Apparently, Reo was after Mikan and Sumire for his own reasons, but he was after Anna, Nonoko, and Hotaru because he wanted to use them and their alices as test subjects. Just the thought of that made Mikan all jittery inside.

Everyone else had left Natsume's room, but Mikan's legs were too weak and they wouldn't listen to the commands her brain was shouting out anyway. So she stayed there, feeling weak and useless, on his couch, focusing on keeping her breathing even.

Natsume was in his personal kitchen, cleaning up some of the dishes that had been left lying around. For awhile, he didn't say anything, but would glance over at Mikan's lone figure every once in awhile.

Finally, Mikan forced herself to stand up. "I'll see you later, Natsume," she mumbled, stumbling awkwardly to the door. Her voice was barely audible.

"Are you sure you can make it back to your room without falling?" he mocked.

Mikan's smile was faint, barely there. "Of course." And then she tore the door open and staggered out.

Rolling his eyes, Natsume strolled casually to the door and leaned against the doorframe. He was only watching her for about five seconds when she collided with the wall and went spiraling at the ground. He shook his head in disbelief and walked out of the room and into the dimly lit hallway.

Mikan used the wall to push herself up, and she hadn't opened her eyes yet when she felt someone's sudden closeness and arms on either side of her, near her elbows, creating a cage. She panicked momentarily, but when she opened her eyes, the fear disappeared and she looked curiously over Natsume's shoulder, since that was all she could see.

His forehead was resting against the wall beside her head, and she could feel his breath on her neck. She had to use almost all of her remaining energy to suppress the shiver before it could give away her feelings, feelings that _she _didn't even recognize.

"This is my fault." His voice was soft.

Mikan had to concentrate to find her voice. "And why do you think that?" she demanded. "I should be the one you're blaming. I mean, I was the one that was so stupid to let Reo find out what alice I had, and from there all he had to do was study me in anyway that he could to find out my background, who my friends were. Everything about me. I don't know why he wants Sumire, but I'm sure he has good enough reason." She didn't stop the shudder of horror at her next words. "But it's _my _fault he decided to use the others as test subjects."

Natsume's soft, humorless chuckle didn't surprise her. She'd heard it before. "Of course. Finding a way to blame yourself," he said. "I should have known you'd do that. You always do."

"Then tell me why you think it's your fault," she ordered.

"If I hadn't gone missing in the first place. If I hadn't let Reo take me from the hospital eight years ago, you wouldn't have ever met him. He wouldn't have had the chance to find out what your alice was or make a connection to _that person_. If, if, if." He sounded angry.

Mikan stopped him before he could continue. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," she said, her voice lightening. His voice and closeness was helping bring back her strength, too. "Don't forget that it was _my _choice to go after you. I didn't have to if I didn't want to." She laughed. "But Mikan Sakura eight years ago was reckless and did anyway."

"Not much changed."

She ignored him. "So stop blaming yourself for something that I _could _have stopped, if I had wanted to," she continued. She hesitantly raised her hand and patted his back. "All you have to do now is make sure they don't get me or my friends again. Sound good?"

"You always were abnormally optimistic."

A scream tore through the silence that lingered between them.

"MIKAN!" It was Anna. "MIKAN, RUN!"

Mikan's eyes widened in horror.

"_Code Red! All security members to the high school dormitories!" _a voice on the intercom said.

And Natsume pulled back, grabbed her shoulders, and then his lips met hers in a blood-boiling kiss.

Mikan couldn't tell if it was just her, or if Natsume's kiss was telling her that he thought they only had so much time left.

Her eyes were swimming in tears, and when she closed them, they spilled over and streamed down her flushed cheeks. And then she found herself hoping, desperately, that it was just her.

* * *

A/N: This is a surprisingly fast update. I really felt like writing it for some reason. Well, school starts tomorrow (EWWW), so this fast update thing isn't likely to happen very soon.

I hope this chapter wasn't disappointing. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers! I really love the feedback I'm getting.

xoxo

Ducky-san


	6. Chapter 6 Hunted part 3

No, unfortunately I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

Natsume pulled Mikan into his room and closed and locked the door behind him. By now, she was in tears, her knees trembling and her eyes puffing up. She had to bite her lip to keep from making any noise, for Natsume had strictly told her to be quiet.

"NATSUME!" Ruka's voice was somewhere down the halls. "I've got the girls! Take care of Mikan! Stick to the plan!"

There was pounding on the door.

Natsume had disappeared into his bathroom, and Mikan instantly ran on her shaking legs and pushed the loose door open. He was just pulling a black T-shirt over his perfectly toned chest muscles. He had already changed his pants from blue jeans to black jeans.

"Natsume!" she whimpered, grabbing his arm and looking over her shoulder at the door, still being pounded on with great force. "Natsume, please don't let them take me. Please, please don't let them take me."

Natsume grabbed his black jacket off of the bathroom counter and put his hand on her back, guiding her out of the bathroom and to the window in the kitchen. "We have to get to your room so you can change. If they catch your friends, Ruka will have told them to tell the men who captured them exactly what they last saw you wearing. You're going to change so that they're looking for the wrong outfit."

"How are we getting out?" she whispered, glancing uneasily at the door, which looked as though it was about to burst.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her up onto the windowsill. "We're going to jump."

That didn't seem like the greatest idea to her ears. As soon as she saw the distance from the window to the ground, she desperately clung to Natsume, who was climbing up on the windowsill beside her.

"Oh, no, no, no," she cried. "I don't want to die."

He rolled his eyes and wrapped both arms around her. "Honestly, calm down. I'm the Black Cat. Do you think I'll let this kill you?"

Why did he sound so calm? Why did he act as if this were just another daily activity?

Mikan nodded into his chest and closed her eyes tight. Before she knew it, she was sailing through the air and then landing on the ground, cradled gently in Natsume's strong arms.

It didn't take long for him to get to her room. She was on the third floor, and she wasn't sure how he managed to get her up there, but she didn't care. He waited by the door while she rummaged through her drawers for the first thing she saw.

Because of her dumb luck, the outfit she pulled out was a mini jean skirt and a blood red halter-top. But she was more focused on getting away as fast as she could, so she ran into the bathroom and changed her clothes from the tight jeans and tight blue shirt to the mini skirt and halter-top.

Natsume didn't waste time. He scooped her up again and somehow, magically, got her back down the ground.

The school grounds were hectic, and Mr. Narumi was out in the pathway, looking this way and that and motioning for guards to go to the different buildings. He caught sight of Natsume towing Mikan and waved for them to pass quickly.

"Get her away, Natsume!" he said in a hushed tone, stepping aside.

Natsume nodded.

"Stay safe, Mikan!"

Mikan was too scared to reply. She tried to match Natsume's pace so that she didn't feel like she was going to get snatched away, but he was too fast, and her legs were too weak. She felt like she was going to collapse.

"Natsume…" she said in a distant tone.

He tugged on her arm, making her stumble. "Get a hold of yourself, idiot!" he said harshly. "We don't have time to waste."

They were coming up on the gates. The guard there saw them and nodded, opening it for them. Natsume didn't stop. He kept leading her on, never looking back at the school, which had gone into a frenzy. He didn't stop until they were well away, out of earshot and out of sight.

Mikan leaned against the wall of the alley they had stopped in, putting her hands on her knees and bending over, using her arms to brace herself as she tried to regain her breath. The tears were still pouring out of her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to stop them.

She was scared.

Natsume spun around to face her. "Your change of clothes should lead them off a bit, but it won't last very long," he said. "Not to mention, we're probably going to get major paparazzi, and that won't help at all." He sighed when he saw the look on her face. "Just stay with me and nothing will happen to you."

That didn't seem to calm her at all. She looked up at him with wide eyes, her hair falling over her shoulders as she straightened her back. "What about you?" she asked anxiously. "You won't get hurt, will you?"

Natsume rolled his eyes and turned away, to the entrance of the alley. "Of course not, Polka-dots."

He heard her sigh of relief.

"Come on." He held out his hand to her. "We don't have all night. We're going to go to a hotel for the night. Narumi has my cell phone number, and if they manage to keep Ruka and your friends at the school, Imai will have yours, if they need to reach you, if we get split up."

Mikan grasped his hand. "But we won't get split up, right?" she whispered hoarsely.

"No." He curled his fingers around hers and led her down the dark street, keeping her close and always being the first to turn corners.

The night was chilly, and Mikan hadn't had time to grab a jacket. She shivered.

Natsume rolled his eyes once again, unzipping his black coat, taking one of his arms out, after shaking Mikan off, and then wrapped the free side around her thin shoulders, holding her close.

Mikan didn't quite understand the whole paparazzi thing, that is, until the first reporter came about.

He had a cameraman with him. He held out his mic with an excited look on his face. "Natsume and Mikan! Tokyo's two most popular teen singers! I'm so glad I've finally found you! I have so many questions! Are you two dating? Do you have any kind of relationship?"

Mikan dug her face into Natsume's side, under his arm. "Natsume…"

"Paparazzi," he said into her ear.

The reporter was following them. "Natsume? Mikan?"

"What do we do?" Mikan whispered, making herself as close as him as she could get. "He's going to give us away."

Natsume smirked. "We give him what he wants." He leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose, making sure that the cameraman saw and took a picture. "Now ignore him."

"That's what they want?" she asked curiously, hiding her blush.

"No, they want something a little bigger," he replied. "But we'll save that for the bigger crowd."

Mikan tensed, but not from anger or anything. She was _excited._

As they got closer to the busier part of town, they got bombarded with more and more questions from the press. Natsume shot all of them glares, and most backed off, but some were persistent and had to be convinced that they were chasing a couple worthwhile.

Natsume kissed Mikan, only a peck on the lips, four times before they were finally free.

"It would probably be better to get you out of the city until someone calls," Natsume said after they had been walking in silence down the well-lit streets for some time.

Mikan looked up at him, her eyes bright. "Can we go visit my Jii-chan?" she asked hopefully. "Can we please? I haven't seen him in so long." And her voice held with it an ancient sadness.

Natsume shrugged. "Whatever."

* * *

Mikan remembered taking the train away from her hometown so many years before. She remembered running away from her grandpa in search of Hotaru. She had come a long way since then.

Natsume studied her troubled expression. "What?"

She frowned, still staring out the window, and sighed. "Something's not right." She looked up to meet his crimson gaze. "I'm worried about Jii-chan."

The train stopped at the Kyoto station and Mikan led the way down the dark streets in the small town. She remembered the hill where she had cursed Hotaru of being greedy before she had left. She could see it from where she now stood at the entrance of her grandpa's house.

"Jii-chan?" She opened the door.

But it wasn't her Jii-chan she saw. It was a woman, a woman that Mikan recognized to be their old neighbor.

"Mikan? Is that you?" The woman squinted. "Dear me, it is! Darling, it's been so long!" She swept Mikan up in a hug. "I've seen your concerts on TV. You've come a long way, haven't you? And the boy you sing with is just gorgeous! I recognized Hotaru. I see you managed to find her."

Mikan nodded. "Natsume's here." She poked her head back out the open door and motioned for him to come in. "He brought me here to see Jii-chan." She looked around the empty house. "Where is he?"

The woman's dreamy gaze as she looked at Natsume turned into one of grief as she looked back to Mikan. "Well, darling, I was just cleaning up, since no one's been here for awhile…" Her voice trailed off.

Mikan held her breath. Her heart lodged itself in her throat.

"He had a heart attack a week ago, dear. He's in the hospital."

And at that moment, she felt her whole world come crashing down.

* * *

A/N: Sigh I know it was short, and there wasn't a lot in it either. I'm sorry. I'm a busy girl. I know, that's a miserable defense. I'm sorry. I really am.

xoxo

Ducky-san


	7. Chapter 7 Hunted part 4

No, unfortunately I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

Mikan's breath was caught in her throat as she walked alongside Natsume down the lit hallways of the hospital. The paparazzi hadn't left, but they were told that they weren't allowed inside the hospital, meaning they would be waiting to bombard the two stars with questions when they returned.

"What do you mean, I have to wait another week?" That was definitely her grandpa's voice. "I'm perfectly fine to go home! I can't leave my neighbor to do the chores. What if she gets a heart attack, too?"

Mikan walked into the room first. "She's fine," she said quietly, saving the nurse currently tending the old man from the trouble of answering. "I just saw her. She's glad she can help."

Her grandpa looked up at her curiously. "Who are you?"

The nurse bustled out.

It didn't hurt Mikan to hear those words, for it had been a long time since they had seen each other. Almost eight years, to be exact.

Mikan turned around and walked back to where Natsume stood. He was still outside the room, invisible to her grandfather. She smiled weakly at him. "Do you happen to have an elastic?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out one rubber band. "I only have one."

Natsume's facial expression didn't change. He opened his coat and pulled out one more elastic from an inside pocket. He placed it in her hand.

She smiled again and gathered the hair on one side of her head into a high ponytail, wrapping the hair band around it. She did the same with the other side, and soon she was wearing the childish pigtails she had worn for so long back when they were younger.

With a deep breath, she turned back to her grandpa.

His eyes widened in recognition. "Mikan?" He rubbed his eyes, as if he was just awakening from sleep. "Is that you, Mikan?"

Mikan felt the tears welling in her eyes, but she furiously blinked them away. She nodded. "I missed you, Jii-chan," she whispered.

Her grandpa sat up and outstretched his arms. "Come here!"

Unable to hold herself back, Mikan jumped forward, wrapping her grandpa in a heartfelt embrace, careful not to hurt his frail body. "I finally get to see you and you're in the hospital." She laughed humorlessly. "That's hardly fair."

He pulled away and scanned her. "I knew you looked familiar," he said. "You're that new singer, the one that's getting popular fast. You sing with that boy…what's his name again?" He put his finger to his chin thoughtfully. "Ah, Natsume, that's right. I saw Hotaru, too. I'm glad you found her." He scrutinized her again. "Mikan, _what _are you _wearing_?"

Mikan laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her head. "Well, I was kind of in a hurry and I just grabbed the first thing I saw." It was the truth. "And, Jii-chan, I'd like you to meet someone…" She glided back over to the door, where she grabbed Natsume's hand and pulled him in. "This is Natsume Hyuuga. He sings with me, as you said."

Her grandfather gave Natsume the same scrutiny, and then he smiled and nodded in approval. "You're a handsome young lad," he complimented. "Take care of her."

Natsume raised his eyebrow.

Mikan's face went red. "We're just friends!" she defended.

"Friends take care of each other." Her grandpa shrugged. "What brings you fellas out here in the first place? I thought you weren't allowed to leave that cursed academy without special permission."

She calmed down a bit when the subject changed "Um….well, Natsume has special privileges," she lied. "He's allowed to leave every once and awhile. I begged him to convince the principals to let him take me and bring me here." She thought him a fake thankful glance. "I really appreciate it, by the way."

"Whatever."

"I'm really glad you're okay, Jii-chan."

"That teacher that brought me all of your letters was a kind man," her grandpa said. "Tell him thanks for me, will you?"

Mikan felt the tears returning. "I have to go," she croaked. "It's my last year at school, so it won't be long until I can see you again." She smiled and leaned down to hug him again. "Take care of yourself." She kissed his forehead.

"I'll miss you, Mikan." He hugged her back.

A shout from down the hall stopped further conversation.

Natsume and Mikan both looked to the door.

"Time to go, Polka-dots," he said, grabbing her hand and towing her to the exit. "Looks like they found us faster than I thought they would."

"Bye, Jii-chan!"

And just like that, her grandpa disappeared.

But there were other things to worry about, things like the strikingly familiar man with his gooneys following behind. He was so familiar that Mikan could have fainted on the spot.

Natsume faced them. Why wasn't he running?

Reo pushed the nurses and doctors aside with a defined urgency, one that suggested that he thought Natsume would just turn and run. But that didn't happen. Natsume stayed put, Mikan cowering behind him.

"Ah, Natsume, it's been awhile," Reo sneered, stopping a few feet away. "Where've you been? Has Persona given up on the AAO already? Does he finally realize that he has no chance?"

"If he believed that, I wouldn't be here right now, would I?" Natsume retorted.

"I see you have the girl I've been looking for," Reo continued, dodging the question. "What do you know? Two birds with one stone once again."

"Last time the birds got back up and flew away again," Mikan muttered, peering cautiously around Natsume. Her fingers curled around his jacket. "Natsume's too good for you. You won't get him." Her hair was still up in those ridiculous pigtails.

"You don't look much different," Reo told her with a smirk.

She used once of her shaking hands to reach up and take the elastics out of her hair and cast them aside. "I'm much different," she said coldly.

"You've built confidence."

"Don't we all?"

Reo glared at her.

"Why do you want her?" Natsume snapped.

"She'll be useful to the AAO," Reo replied casually. "Her alice is rare."

"Over my dead body," Mikan mumbled.

"She's not a tool, and she's not going with you." With that, Natsume grabbed Mikan's hand and turned. He ran with her down the hallway, only stopping to open the door leading to the stairs and push her through before following close behind.

Reo was on their tail.

Mikan burst through the doors at the bottom of the stairs and looked from right to left blindly. They were in the underground parking area.

Natsume grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around. "You need to run," he told her sternly. "I'll stay back and make sure you get away. Just-"

Mikan felt the panic building up and she shook her head, fighting back her tears. "No," she said. "I'm not going without you."

Natsume rolled his eyes. "You don't have a choice." He pushed her back, but she leapt back forward and wrapped her arms around him, digging her face into his firm chest.

"Please," she whispered. "Let me stay."

Natsume managed to pry her off, with great difficulty. "I'll meet you at your grandpa's house. Stay there until I get you or until you hear from Ruka." He shrugged out of his jacket. "If I'm not there by four in the morning, find somewhere else to go without me."

Mikan was torn. "But…you'll get hurt…"

"Maybe, maybe not." He handed her his jacket. "I'll call you if anything happens."

She took his jacket and slipped it on. "Okay."

"Now go!" He pushed her forward just as the door exiting the staircase burst open.

And then she was running, clueless of where she was going, only knowing that she had to get away. The night was cold on her bare legs, but she didn't dare stop. She could hear the gunshots from where Natsume was, could hear the shouts, along with the blare of the police sirens.

She tried to ignore it.

* * *

Soon, after her face and legs were numb from the chill of the night, after running through the dark and away from the noise for what seemed like ages, Mikan made it to her grandpa's house.

The lady from earlier wasn't home, so Mikan used the key from under the eave and let herself in. She slammed the door behind her, locked it, and sank to her ground, her back against the wood of the door.

Part of her wanted to sleep.

Part of her was too worried and too scared.

She decided to stay awake in the end.

She'd only been sitting for about ten minutes when her cell phone rang. Hesitantly, she pulled it out of her jean skirt pocket and glanced at the caller ID. With a surge of an unexplained emotion, she flipped it open and pressed it to her ear.

"Hotaru?" she asked desperately.

"Yes, baka, it's me." Her friend's cold voice was the same as ever. "Ruka wants to know how you and Hyuuga are doing."

Mikan sighed in relief, but then the panic returned. "Oh, Hotaru! Natsume told me to run while he stayed and fought! It's been almost half an hour already! He told me he would meet me at my Jii-chan's house. I'm worried!"

"Relax," Hotaru said. "Natsume just contacted us. He told me to call you and tell you that he was on his way. He said it was too risky to call you himself."

"Really?" She didn't bother hiding the relief. "What about you guys? Are you all okay?"

"Sumire and Anna are a bit panicked, but they're okay, otherwise." There was a ruffling sound on the other end. "Mikan, I have to go. Natsume will be there soon. Call if you need anything." And then the line went dead.

Mikan waited in silence for ten more minutes, and then there was finally a knock on the door.

"Hey, Polka-dots, open up." Natsume's voice was strained.

Mikan scrambled to her feet and tore the door open, instantly throwing herself at him.

He staggered back, and she felt his body tense.

It took her only a split second to realize that he was injured. She pulled back and studied him carefully, and she caught sight of the tear on the shoulder of his shirt and the dark liquid around it.

She gasped and pulled him inside.

"We have to go," he told her.

"Not until I dress that wound," she replied stubbornly. She pulled him to the couch and forced him to sit down. "I'll be right back." And then she turned and ran up the stairs and into the bathroom, pulling out a tensor bandage, a wet cloth, and some gauze. She dashed back down the stairs and dropped to her knees in front of Natsume. "Take your shirt off," she ordered.

He raised his eyebrows at her.

Frowning, she reached up and grabbed the hem of his shirt, tugging it up gently over his head. "Stop being difficult," she growled.

When she first laid her hand on his warm skin to examine the wound, he tensed again.

"Your hands are cold, Polka-dots."

"Sorry, but you'll have to suck it up." She began to gently scrub at the blood with the warm cloth, and then she put the gauze on and wrapped it in the tensor bandage. When she was done, she stood up with the garbage from her supplies and clapped her hands together. "All done."

He slipped his shirt back on.

"We're leaving."

Mikan rushed after him as he walked back out of the house. She didn't bother asking about what happened to the AAO members. She was kind of scared to hear the answer.

She walked all the way to the train station, but when they got back to the city, she was too tired to walk on her own. Natsume carried her on his back, like he had once before, and she drifted. And as she drifted, she dreamt.

* * *

"Wake up, idiot!"

Mikan's eyes shot open, and she saw she was on the ground against a wall, in a lit hallway that looked all too familiar. She looked up to see who had spoken to her.

Natsume was standing beside Ruka, Hotaru, Tsubasa, Koko, Sumire, Anna, and Nonoko. They were all looking down at her, worried (except for Hotaru and Natsume). There were a few other people, like Jin Jin, and Mr. Narumi. Some other students had crowded around, too.

Mikan laughed nervously, embarrassed. "I guess I had a bad dream."

Later than evening, after being checked over and told she was in good condition, Mikan was still in the dark. No one had told her anything. Nothing at all.

* * *

She was currently heading over to Natsume's room to give him a proper thank you. In the end, she _really _wished she hadn't bothered.

She knocked once and then opened the door without paying much attention to what she was doing. Her eyes were downcast, and when she looked up, her hands shot to her eyes and she staggered back.

"Oh, come on!" she exclaimed.

Natsume was sitting on his bed with a girl she had never seen before. Upon her entrance, they had pulled away from each other.

"Ever heard of knocking?" the girl retorted.

Mikan was too busy being over-dramatic and staggering around with her hands over her eyes like a drunken idiot to reply. "My eyes! My eyes! My innocent eyes!"

Natsume raised his eyebrow – a signature gesture.

She removed her hands from her eyes and smiled. "I'll be leaving now. I apologize for disturbing your make-out session." She slammed the door.

But what was this feeling?

_You're jealous! _her conscience teased.

_I am not! _Mikan protested.

You're in a state of denial… 

Okay, she could accept _that _much, at least.

She wasn't denying that she was in a state of denial, but she certainly was denying that she was jealous.

Because she wasn't.

At least she hoped not.

_Oh, but you are, _her conscience told her.

Well, that was just maddeningly unhelpful.

* * *

A/N: Haha! Two snow days in a row! It's been -47 with the wind chill for the past two days. I live out of town and my bus wasn't running so i didn't have to go to school! Yay! I'm sorry if the chapter wasn't what you were expecting. I think I'll leave it at that, since it feels like my feet and hands are going to freeze off.

Thanks to all my reviewers!

xoxo

Ducky-san

PS: I'm getting a puppy in March! I'm so excited!


	8. Chapter 8 Falling Apart

I don't own Gakuen Alice.

Should've Said No - Taylor Swift (I know this is country, but just change the beat and the way the voice is carried an you have a good song for Mikan)

Who's that Girl? - Hilary Duff

Litte Death - 44

155 - 44

Make You Smile - 44

* * *

Koko sat across from Mikan in the library, Koko cowering as far back in his chair as he could get and Mikan leaning forward, her elbows propped up on the table, a fierce look on her face.

"What did you hear?" she demanded.

Koko looked around nervously. "You can't tell anyone you heard it from me."

"Fine."

With a deep breath, the mind reader continued. "I overheard Natsume and Ruka when they were in the music room before our meeting," he said. "I decided to listen. Ruka was scolding Natsume about some girl."

"Go on," Mikan urged slyly.

"Natsume said the girl asked him to kiss her. He said he didn't even know who the hell she was."

Mikan raised her eyebrow. "Really?"

Koko nodded. "Ruka told him that he should've said no."

"Ruka was pretty damn right," Mikan growled, pushing her chair back with a defined urgency. "He gets the silent treatment." She spun on her heel.

"Wait!" Koko called. "I wasn't done!"

But she was gone.

* * *

"Why the hell do we have to do all of our concerts with them?" Mikan exploded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Can't we do our own?"

Hotaru shook her head. "No. We get double the profit this way."

"We have to split it anyway!" Mikan insisted.

But Hotaru wasn't convinced. "We'll get more."

"Why?" her friend challenged.

"Because a lot of people like it when you and Hyuuga sing together."

Mikan narrowed her eyes. "I refuse to sing with him."

"You don't have a choice." Hotaru opened her briefcase and pulled out a booklet. "I've written a few new songs for you, and I worked on one with Ruka for the two of you. I think you'll like the first one."

Mikan scanned over the words and smirked. "You know me well."

"Of course I do, idiot," Hotaru replied. "I've known you for how many years?"

"Good point."

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me." Mikan stared at the costume Natsume held out to her. "I'm not wearing that, not under any circumstances."

A playboy bunny costume? I mean, _come on! _

Natsume raised his eyebrow. "What do you suggest?"

"Something else," she said. "I'm sure that the old one was skimpy enough for your perverted eyes." She glared at him. "If you're going to keep making me feel like I'm half naked on stage, I'm going to be picking my own outfit."

He tossed the playboy bunny costume aside and rifled through the rack. "I suppose you're right," he said in his usual tone. "The less skimpy the outfit, the less guys will stare at you." He pulled out her old costume.

Mikan raised her eyebrow, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I'll save that part for me." He threw the costume at her.

Her mouth dropped open. _What did he just say? _

Before she could ask for a confirmation, he was turning and walking the opposite way of the change rooms, that stupid little smirk on his face.

* * *

_This is stupid, _Mikan thought glumly as she paced back and forth outside the change rooms. _It's been two months and I'm so angry that I still don't want to talk to him. What if I don't know the whole story? What if I'm depriving myself of hearing his voice for no reason?_

She stopped in her tracks and frowned. _Depriving myself of hearing his voice? Where the hell did I come up with that?_

"Thinking about me, Polka-dots?" The voice came from behind her.

She jumped and then spun around, her hand flying to her heart in alarm. "What was that for?" she wailed. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"That didn't answer my question." Natsume was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest in a careless manner, his tight muscle shirt defining his perfectly toned chest. He was a picture of beauty, like a god. He looked much too grand to be standing there.

She didn't like it.

"Of course I wasn't," she retorted, glaring at him. "Now stop trying to make me jumpy or else I'll purposely mess up on that song."

"What's your problem?" he said sincerely. "We haven't had a good, heart-to-heart talk in a while. It seems to me like you've been avoiding me." His eyes were narrowed slightly in a sly manner.

Mikan raised her eyebrow. _Heart-to-heart? _"You don't do 'heart-to-heart'," she stated dryly. "You're more of a simple person. You say what's on your mind and you say it quick. There's no such thing as heart-to-heart with you."

Natsume shrugged. "More or less," he agreed. "But that doesn't change the fact that you've been purposely avoiding me."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "That's ridiculous."

"That's what _you _think."

Mikan glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Why on earth did he have to look so good?

She mentally smacked herself for thinking that.

Natsume could clearly see the inner battle she was having. "Still thinking about me?"

She uncrossed her arms and stomped her foot in frustration. "I am not!" she insisted.

"Sure…" He pushed himself off of the wall and walked towards her, stopping when he was beside her. They were each facing opposite directions.

Mikan felt her heart beat faster. _Great, _she thought, inwardly rolling her eyes. _Now the heart is starting to overreact, too. This is retarded._

He reached up and flicked her forehead. "It wasn't what you thought it was." And then he was gone.

* * *

She glared at his back. "Of course it wasn't what I thought it was," she muttered to herself, her voice mocking. "That's what they always say. He can go die in a hole for all I care."

"Mikan!" Nonoko appeared at the end of the hallway. "We need to go over the songs once more before they start letting people inside."

Mikan paced back and forth once again, this time backstage, just behind the curtain that blocked her from the view of the fans. Her right arm was across her stomach, clutching her left side, while her left hand was against her chin in a thoughtful manner.

_He's such an idiot! _her thoughts exclaimed. _Why can't he be more straightforward? He's always talking in those dumb riddles that make no sense! _She stopped pacing and pulled at her hair in frustration.

"What do you think you're doing, Polka-dots?" Natsume was suddenly in front of her.

Mikan froze. _Crap, _her mind cursed. _I'm thinking about him again! _"I'm calming myself," she lied casually. "I'd hate to mess up in front of all those people." She scowled. "Especially those perverted guys." She shot him a warning glare.

He raised his eyebrow.

Mikan clenched her teeth and walked up to him, jabbing her forefinger into his chest as hard as she could. "Now see here," she hissed in a whisper. "You keep your eyes off of inappropriate places at all times, buster, or else."

"Or else?" he echoed, clearly amused.

"Or else I'll…" She racked her brain for an answer. "I'll embarrass you in front of _everyone._" She smiled in satisfaction at her answer.

He turned around, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his black and red shorts. "Whatever."

Mikan glared at his back until he disappeared, and then she spun around and released an exasperated breath. _He is getting on my nerves_, she thought irritably. _I hope he knows that the song I'm going to sing is for him._

"Presenting to you, the Fallen Angels!" Mr. Narumi motioned to the stage, sidestepping out of the way as Mikan led the way, smiling hugely as she pranced like a little girl to the front of the stage, ignoring the swooning she was getting from the guys.

She didn't say anything into the microphone. She just waited for the music to start, and it did as soon as everyone was at their stations.

She tapped her foot to the beat, snatching the microphone from its stand and running across the stage back and forth to rouse the crowd, to get them pumped.

**(Mikan) **_It's strange to think the songs we used to sing,  
The smiles, the flowers, everything is gone.  
Yesterday I found out about you.  
Even now just looking at you feels wrong.  
You say that you'd take it all back, given one chance  
It was a moment of weakness and you said yes...  
_

_You should've said no, you should've gone home.  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go.  
You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me...  
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind.  
I shouldn't be asking myself why.  
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me._

_You can see that I've been crying  
And baby you know all the right things to say  
But do you honestly expect me to believe  
We could ever be the same...  
You say that the past is the past, you need one chance  
It was a moment of weakness and you said yes..._

_You should've said no, you should've gone home.  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go.  
You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me...  
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind.  
I shouldn't be asking myself why.  
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me._

_I can't resist... before you go, tell me this  
Was it worth it...  
Was she worth this...  
No... no no no...  
_

_You should've said no, you should've gone home.  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go.  
You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me...  
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind.  
I shouldn't be asking myself why.  
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me._

She spun around, earning a roaring cheer, and then she pranced back off the stage. When she passed Natsume, she stole a glance at his expression, only to see that he wore his usual look. It almost seemed like he was trying to resist burning her.

Making a face, she slunk away.

Hotaru exited the stage next, not acknowledging the boys as they waited for all the girls to leave. She walked over to where Mikan was pacing once again. "Did you see the look on his face?"

Mikan spun around and laughed maniacally. "He looked like he wanted to burn me."

As the boys' music started, Mikan started to frown. "I hate this."

Hotaru gave her a sidelong glance. "You should confront him about it," she said.

Mikan laughed nervously. "Confront him about what?"

Hotaru shook her head in disbelief. "It's not worth hiding anymore." And then she was gone.

Sumire, Anna, and Nonoko ran over to where she now stood, stationary. "Oh, my God, Mikan! Koko and Tsubasa want us to go out to dinner with them after the concert!" they said excitedly. "Mr. Narumi said he was going to leave us in a hotel for the night, mostly because the AAO won't know we're there but also because he wants to give us a little break."

Mikan frowned. "Dinner with them?" she said dryly.

Nonoko blinked. "Is there a problem?"

"Natsume's my problem."

**(Natsume) **_Love  
This is getting harder.  
And I can't seem to pick you out of the crowd.  
But you my dear  
Have been discovered a liar._

**(Ruka) **_A liar…  
_**(Natsume) **_And I'm afraid that this is building up for far too long.  
_**(Ruka) **_Far too long… _

**(Natsume) **_And this is not the time or place for us to speak like this.  
_**(Ruka) **_If I had the thought I'd never dream of it.  
_**(Natsume) **_So dry your hollow eyes and lets go down to the water. _

In a different time or place the words could make more sense,  
**(Ruka) **_In a perfect world, the future wouldn't make a dent.  
_**(Natsume) **_So dry your hollow eyes and lets go down to the water. _

Even though it's the last time

Love,  
This is getting the best of me.  
And truth be told, you were the start of it all.  
Now you my dear, might end up lonely. 

**(Ruka) **_lonely…  
_**(Natsume) **_Before you go, there's something you should know._

**(Ruka) **_You should know..  
_

**(Natsume) **_And this is not the time or place for us to speak like this.  
_**(Ruka) **_If I had the thought I'd never dream of it.  
_**(Natsume) **_So dry your hollow eyes and lets go down to the water. _

In a different time or place the words could make more sense,  
**(Ruka) **_In a perfect world, the future wouldn't make a dent.  
_**(Natsume) **_So dry your hollow eyes and lets go down to the water. _

Even though it's the last time.

**(Natsume) **_And this is not the time or place for us to speak like this.  
_**(Ruka) **_If I had the thought I'd never dream of it.  
_**(Natsume) **_So dry your hollow eyes and lets go down to the water. _

In a different time or place the words could make more sense,  
**(Ruka) **_In a perfect world, the future wouldn't make a dent.  
_**(Natsume) **_So dry your hollow eyes and lets go down to the water._

_Please, let's not speak, don't breathe a word  
Even though it's the last time_

_Please, let's not speak, don't breathe a word  
Even though it's the last time _

Mikan groaned. Why did he have to sound so damn good? And why did he have to look so good while he was at it?

She pulled at her hair in frustration.

Ruka left the stage first. "Hey, Mikan, are you coming to dinner?"

Mikan tried to calm herself. "No. Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire told me we got a hotel. I think I'll just sleep."

He bobbed his head in agreement. "That's a good idea." He smiled. "Natsume's not going either."

Mikan tilted her head. "Why not?"

"Persona's sending him on a mission," Ruka exclaimed. "We won't go for dinner until he gets back, but he's not going to want to go anywhere afterwards."

Natsume walked by without a word.

Mikan watched him go, a blank look on her face, before turning back to Ruka. "Don't you have to go, too?"

Ruka shook his head. "No, I would just get in the way on this one. I was told that it shouldn't be much of a threat, since it's not the AAO, but I'm not one to go by Natsume's word." He smiled. "You should go."

Mikan yelped and ran towards the curtain. Her band mates were already on the stage

A cheer rippled through the crowd upon her appearance.

Smiling contentedly to herself, she took the microphone.

Sumire started the music.

Mikan lowered the microphone so that she could clear her throat and then brought it back to her mouth and began the song.

**(Mikan) **_There were places we would go at midnight  
There were secrets that nobody else would know  
There's a reason but I don't know why  
I don't know why  
I don't know why  
I thought they all belonged to me_

_Who's that girl?  
Where's she from?  
No she can't be the one  
That you want  
That has stolen my world  
It's not real, it's not right  
It's my day, it's my night  
By the way,  
Who's that girl living my life?  
Oh no, living my life_

_Seems like everything's the same around me_

**(Hotaru)**_Around me…  
_**(Mikan)**_Then I look again and everything has changed  
I'm not dreaming so I don't know why  
I don't know why  
I don't know why  
She's everywhere I wanna be_

_Who's that girl?  
Where's she from?  
No she can't be the one  
That you want  
That has stolen my world  
It's not real, it's not right  
It's my day, it's my night  
By the way  
Who's that girl living my life?_

_I'm the one who made you laugh  
Who made you feel  
And made you sad  
I'm not sorry  
For what we did  
Or who we were  
I'm not sorry  
I'm not her_

_Who's that girl?  
Where's she from?  
No she can't be the one  
That you want  
That has stolen my world  
It's not real, it's not right  
It's my day, it's my night  
By the way  
Who's that girl living my life?  
Oh no, living my life  
_

With a satisfied sigh, she exited the stage once more.

When she passed by Natsume, she was expecting to see the same look he had given her before. But he was _smirking._

He leaned down so that his lips were barely touching her ear. "Someone's jealous." And then he pulled away and led the way onto the stage.

Mikan glared at the wall in front of her, trying to kill all the butterflies in her stomach that were currently making her feel ill. The stupid jerk was playing with her, and she was going to hurt him for it.

She tried to ignore his dangerously soothing voice…unsuccessfully.

**(Natsume) **_Please sleep, my darling, sleep.  
Your cry for inspiration  
Never reaches ears on distant stars.  
And every night, our lonely planet  
Slides across the universe.  
And I won't pretend I understand._

_Please sleep, my darling, sleep.  
Your death by information  
Won't disturb the peace on distant stars.  
And even when you lock the doors  
And slide behind the unlit shades,  
None of us saw strangers anymore._

_So fall asleep with the windows open.  
Come to me with the worst you've said and done.  
_**(Ruka)**_You'll close your eyes and see me.  
_**(Natsume) **_A little death makes life more meaningful  
_**(Ruka)**_I stand no chance at all_

**(Natsume)**_Please, sleep my darling, sleep.  
Your car crash in slow motion  
Won't upset the pace on distant stars.  
And one by one the years of our lives  
Stumble as the moments pass.  
So please hold on, please hold on.  
_

_So fall asleep with the windows open.  
Come to me with the worst you've said and done.  
_**(Ruka)**_You'll close your eyes and see me.  
_**(Natsume)**_A little death makes life more meaningful  
_**(Ruka)**_I stand no chance at all_

**(Ruka, Tsubasa, Koko)**_Please, sleep my darling, sleep  
Please, sleep my darling, sleep_

**(Natsume)**_So fall asleep with the windows open.  
Come to me with the worst you've said and done.  
_**(Ruka) **_You'll close your eyes and see me.  
_**(Natsume)**_A little death makes life more meaningful  
_**(Ruka) **_I stand no chance at all_

**(Ruka, Tsubasa, Koko) **_Please sleep my darling sleep_

Mikan glowered at the wall. Damn him…

"Now, for the duet you've all been waiting for!" Mr. Narumi was back on the stage. "Here's Natsume and Mikan, singing their newest hit, 'Make You Smile'!"

The cheer was deafening.

Sighing, Mikan tried to look happy as she walked out onto the stage. She was sure she'd pulled it off, since no one was giving her weird looks.

Natsume started it off.

**(Natsume)**_The last time I saw you, you turned away.  
_**(Mikan)**_I couldn't see you with the Sun shining in my eyes.  
_**(Natsume)**_I said "Hello" but you kept on walking.  
_**(Mikan)**_I'm going deaf from the sound of the freeway._

Mikan tried to avoid falling into his captivating crimson eyes by keeping her gaze averted on the crowd.

**(Natsume)**_The last time I saw you, you turned away.  
_**(Mikan)**_I couldn't hear you with your voice ringing in my ears.  
_**(Natsume)**_Do you remember where we used to sleep at night?  
_**(Mikan)**_I couldn't feel you, you're always so far away._

**(Natsume)**_The first time I saw you, you turned away.  
_**(Mikan) **_I couldn't see you with the smoke getting in my eyes_

**(Natsume)**_I said "Hello" but you kept on walking.  
_**(Mikan)**_I'm going deaf from the sound of the DJ._

**(Natsume)**_The first time I saw you, you turned away.  
_**(Mikan)**_I couldn't hear with the noise ringing in my ears.  
_**(Natsume)**_Do you remember where we used to sleep at night?  
_**(Mikan)**_I couldn't feel you, you're always so far away._

**(Mikan and Natsume)**_I don't, don't wanna take you home.  
Please don't, don't make me sleep alone.  
If I could, I'd only want to make you smile.  
If you were to stay with me a while._

**(Natsume)**_The next time I see you, you'll turn away.  
I'll say "Hello" but you'll keep on walking.  
_**(Mikan)**_The next time you see me, I'll turn away.  
_**(Natsume)**_Do you remember where we used to sleep at night?  
_**(Mikan) **_I couldn't feel you, you're always so far away_

**(Mikan and Natsume)**_I don't, don't wanna take you home.  
Please don't, don't make me sleep alone.  
If I could, I'd only want to make you smile.  
If you were to stay with me a while._

_I don't, don't wanna take you home.  
Please don't, don't make me sleep alone.  
If I could, I'd only want to make you smile.  
If you were to stay with me a while._

Mikan almost had to plug her ears because of the screams of joy coming from the many fans below them.

And the night went on.

_

* * *

_

Mikan groaned worriedly as she lay, outstretched, on the bed in her five-star, luxury hotel room. She had her face buried in her pillow, her long legs stretched out over top of the blankets.

_I'm supposed to hate him,_ she kept telling herself._ He's a jerk, a player, just like the rest of them. But why can't I stop worrying about him? He's the Black Cat. He has everything under control._

Her fingers curled around the edge of the pillow._ What if he's outnumbered?_

A knock on her door made her jump, but she quickly regained herself and rolled off of the bed, running over to the door with great urgency. She tore it open and, to her fear, she saw Ruka standing there, grim-faced.

Her heart fell.

"Natsume doesn't want to ruin our plans," he said dryly. "Me, Koko, and Tsubasa will take the girls out for dinner. I think it would be a good idea for you to watch him." He held up his hands, covered in blood. "Can you bandage him up?"

Mikan's eyes were wide as she nodded frantically. Without waiting for him to say anything else, she spun around, dashed back to her bed, snatched her cell phone off of the blankets and her purse off of the nightstand, and then ran back over to the open door. She closed it behind her.

Ruka was already standing at the elevator with the rest of the dinner crew, wiping his hands with the towel Koko was holding out to him. They all waved.

Mikan just nodded in their direction. She was much to worried to waste her time waving, though it wouldn't have taken much effort.

"Don't fight with him!" Tsubasa called.

Mikan ran at full speed to the end of the hallway, the opposite side that the elevator her friends were taking was on. Natsume's room was beside the other elevator.

Digging through her purse, she tried all nine of her card keys (she had a key to all of her friends' rooms, in case of emergencies) until she found the right one, which just happened to be the last one she tried.

With shaking hands, she opened the door and closed it gently behind her. She stuffed the key back into her purse and dropped it by the closet door before running over to the king-sized bed.

Natsume was lying on his back on the far edge of the bed, closest to the window. His eyes were closed and his body was perfectly straight. The blankets were pulled up only to his waist, and the white sheet that she could see was already soaked in blood.

Mikan felt a wave of dizziness pass over her and she staggered, using the wall for support.

"Ever heard of knocking?" His voice was quiet.

Mikan frowned. "Yeah, because you're going to get up and answer it if I knock," she said sarcastically. Rolling her eyes and pushing the nausea, she walked over to his side of the bed, her legs trembling.

He laughed humorlessly. "It's polite."

Mikan looked down at him, an unreadable expression on her angelic face as she studied his bloody clothes and the bloody sheets. "I'm going to be thinking about being polite when you're lying here practically dying." The sarcasm was still there.

He opened his eyes. "And what do you plan on doing while you're here?"

Mikan felt like crying. He looked so weak lying there, so lifeless. This wasn't what she wanted for him. Angry at herself for stalling, she pushed the thoughts away.

"I'm going to stop you from bleeding to death." Her tone suggested he was being stupid.

With a sigh, she placed her cell phone on his nightstand and headed over to the bathroom. She pulled a bucket out from underneath the sink and put it under hot running water from the tap. She opened the cabinet beside the mirror and raised her eyebrow when she saw that the hotel had everything necessary for fixing someone up who was bleeding to death; gauze, tensor bandages, cloths, and scissors. She pulled everything out of the cabinet and brought it over to the bed, setting it all down on the ground before walking back to the bathroom to grab the bucket.

Natsume's navy blue shirt was soaked with blood on his side, the side closest to her. His chest was bleeding, too, and he had a few cuts and scratches on his neck and arms. His own hands were covered in blood, like Ruka's had been. He didn't appear to have any injuries on his lover body, to her relief.

She dropped to her knees beside the bed.

"I suppose you can't take your shirt off," she stated.

"Probably not."

She shrugged. "Your loss." She picked up the scissors and lifted the material off of his skin. He winced, and she cringed, but she began to cut the shirt nonetheless.

Before long, his firm, perfect chest was bare and the bloody shirt was lying on the carpeted floor.

"I liked that shirt," Natsume muttered.

"Then you shouldn't have worn it," Mikan retorted.

Next, she picked up the cloth and dropped it into the bucket of steaming water. She picked it up again, wrung it out, and then she pressed it against the skin around the huge gash in his side.

He tensed. "Can't you be any gentler?"

Mikan pursed her lips. "No, I can't. Suck it up, princess."

He snorted.

She finished cleaning both wounds in twenty minutes. He cursed her multiple times, and she insulted him back.

When she was done wrapping them up in gauze with the tensor bandages, she decided it wouldn't hurt to let him know that she was worried about him.

"How many times is this going to happen?" she asked quietly, pinning the tensor bandage down gently.

His chest heaved as he sighed. "Until I die."

Her cold hands froze on his warm skin. She felt her body begin to shake as she tried to hold back the tears, but the sound she made gave her away. She bowed her head quickly to avoid his gaze.

He turned his head. "What's wrong now, Polka-dots?"

Her shoulders were shaking. "Don't say that," she said through clenched teeth.

He sighed again. "Come here."

Surprised, she looked up. Her face was wet and the tears were still streaming down her cheeks. "What?"

He made a small motion with a flick of his wrist. "Come here," he repeated.

Hesitantly, she stood up and walked over to the other side of the bed. She eyed the blood on the sheets warily, but shrugged it off when she realized her red pajama pants and shirt were already bloody. She sat down on top of the blankets.

"Closer," he said, his voice weak.

She laid down, her head on the other pillow, her face close to his. She was on her side, he was on her back. His eyes were closed, and he was facing the roof, but she gazed at his perfect face intently.

"Don't cry."

That didn't help. She felt the tears come harder, and she found herself snuggling as close to him as she could get, as if that would somehow keep him from leaving her. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and gently laid her arm across his chest.

He put one arm around her to make her more comfortable. "Stop it," he ordered.

"How am I supposed to do that?" she hissed, her voice shaky.

"I thought you were ignoring me."

She'd completely forgotten about that. "Well, I was," she admitted. "I don't know why I'm doing this. It isn't right. I shouldn't be here. This is all wrong."

"Is that so?"

"You like that other girl."

He wasn't sure if she sounded angry or not. "Like I said, it wasn't what you thought it was." He ran his fingers along her back. "You didn't let Koko finish his story."

"Is that so?" she mimicked.

He had to smile at the mockery in her tone. "Yes. You had horrible timing. I don't know how she got in my room, but she was sitting there when I got back. I told her to leave, but she just stood up and tackled me to the bed and started making out with me. You didn't give me time to burn her."

Her eyes were wide with shock. "Are you kidding me?"

"No, but that doesn't explain why you were so mad about it." She knew he was smirking, even without looking at his face. "I guess you like me."

She snorted. "You wish." She had to deny it.

"Then what's your explanation?" he pressed.

She didn't reply.

He chuckled again. "Sit up."

Baffled, she reluctantly sat up, afraid for him to leave her touch. She watched as he forced his body into an upright position as well, his face etched with agony. He leaned his back against the headboard of the bed and relaxed again once he was comfortable. His eyes were still closed.

She frowned at him. "What are you doing?"

"Come here." He didn't move.

"I can't get any closer to you," she said, clearly confused.

"Yes, you can," he replied. "Lean in a little."

"Why?" she demanded.

"I want you to kiss me now, Polka-dots." It was portrayed as an order.

She felt her face turn a million shades of red. "W-what?" she stuttered.

"Listen, Polka, I would do it myself if I could move," he said. "Think of it as a favor. Won't you regret not doing it if I wind up dying tomorrow?"

Her eyes began to water again. "Don't say that!" she exclaimed angrily.

"Then kiss me." His eyes remained closed. "And I want a good kiss."

She bit her lip, fighting with herself. "Fine," she whispered. She was on her hands and knees. Adjusting her position slightly so that her arms were on either side of him but her legs remained on the same side she had been on before, she eyed his lips wearily.

He took a deep breath. "You smell good."

Mikan blushed again, hovering over him. "Shut up," she muttered.

Natsume smirked. "Hurry up Polka-dots."

"Okay, okay." She sighed. Leaning down, she closed her eyes, bringing her lips closer to his. She was trying to decide whether or not this was what she wanted. Part of her said yes, the other part said no. The only reason it said no was because she didn't want to get hurt.

Her lips met his.

She thought she felt him sigh with contentment, but she wasn't sure. She was more focused on the fireworks that had just erupted throughout her whole body, and the feeling of glee at getting what she was sure she had wanted.

She felt him part his lips, and her eyes shot open when she felt him drag his tongue along her bottom lip. Oh, God, she thought, pinching her eyes shut again. He said 'kiss', not 'make out'!

Was this what she wanted? Was she ready for this? A million questions raced through her mind.

Slowly, she parted her lips.

He tackled her mouth with his tongue. At first, she thought it felt a lot like having a fish flopping in her mouth, but the feeling soon subsided and she found herself enjoying it.

She didn't want it to end.

But of course, life is only a 50-50 chance of getting what you want.

Her cell phone began to ring. She pulled away quickly, reaching over Natsume to grab it off the nightstand. She looked at the caller ID, but the number was unknown. With a frown, she flipped it open, avoiding Natsume's deathly glare.

"Hello?" she said breathlessly.

"Is this Mikan Sakura?" the voice on the other end said.

"Yes…" Mikan replied slyly.

"This is the Tokyo General Hospital," the grave voice said.

She felt her heart catch in her throat as she slowly swung her legs over the bed and stood up. "What's wrong?"

There was a pause. "Your grandfather died at 12:01 this morning."

Her legs gave out and she collapsed.

* * *

A/N: Okay, that was extremely long. I just couldn't stop. Haha. Well I found out that we have to wait an extra week until we get the puppy, so we don't get it until March 22nd, unfortunately. But there are other things to keep me occupied for the meanwhile. We have a lot of snow here, and me and my friend went walking yesterday and today, and ge got soaked. Otherwise, everything was great. Thanks to all my readers, reviewers, and supporters. I hope you enjoy this extremely long chapter!

xoxo

Ducky-san


	9. Chapter 9 Back Off or Not?

No, unfortunately I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

"Hey, Polka-dots?"

Mikan shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She was on her hands and knees, her phone still open, lying a few feet away from her, out of reach. Her eyes were watering and her hands were shaking. Her arms, holding her up, felt weak.

"He's dead," she mumbled in disbelief. "My grandpa is dead."

"Come back here, idiot." He sighed.

Mikan slowly pushed herself to her feet and scrambled back onto the bed. She resumed the position she had been in before, her face buried in his neck, but this time she kept her arms in front of her, pressed to her chest, her hands balled into fists.

He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her almost on top of his bare chest. "I wasn't finished with you," he whispered into her ear, making her shiver.

She didn't look at him, but kept her vision, blurry with tears, on the wall. "You're not a bad kisser," she said, trying to keep her mind off of her tragic loss. She closed her eyes. "But you said you wanted me to kiss you, not make out with you."

She felt him shrug. "You enjoyed it."

"I shouldn't have done it."

"Maybe not, but I think you should do it again."

She lifted her head to look up at him, not bothering to stop the tears that still rolled down her cheeks. His eyes were opened into slits. "You're going to play with me. You're going to get what you want from me, and then you're going to break my heart, and you'll break it hard." She made it sound like an accusation.

"What makes you so sure?" he inquired.

"You do it all the time," she grumbled, putting her head back down on his chest.

"You're different."

Mikan narrowed her eyes, keeping her gaze on the wall. "Yeah? How so?"

He sighed. "You're the only girl who's ever stood up to me, the most persistent of them all, the only one who doesn't fall head over heels for me on first glance, and one of the very few who aren't involved in my annoying fan club." He paused. "The only reason I would ever want to hurt you is to save you."

"Elaborate," she said glumly.

"I'm a dangerous person, Polka-dots."

"I don't think so."

"You don't know. If you saw what I do on my missions, you would change your mind."

She frowned. "I highly doubt that."

"You thought _you _shouldn't be here. I think it's the other way around." He put his hand on her back of her neck. "I could break your neck if I wanted to."

"But you don't want to," she squeaked. "Do you?"

"No."

"Then where's the problem?"

"I'm still dangerous. People want me dead. And if you get in the way, they won't hold back just because you're an innocent girl." He let his hand fall from her neck, his fingers running down her spine.

"People want me, too," she defended.

"But they don't want to kill you."

She sighed. "You're pretty good at distracting me." Her eyes began to water again.

There was a dull ring coming from the drawer in the nightstand. Natsume weakly lifted his arm and pulled the drawer open. In fact, he pulled it right out of the nightstand, just barely managing to snatch his cell phone before the drawer fell. One glance at the caller ID made him pass the phone to Mikan.

"Throw it against the wall."

"What? No!"

"It wasn't a question, Polka-dots."

Mikan sat up and looked at the caller ID. There was no name, just a number. "Fine," she mumbled. Winding up her arm, she threw it as hard as she could against the wall. The ringing died as the phone broke into two pieces.

"Who was it?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter."

"Obviously it does," she growled. "If you don't want to talk to that person and you make me break your phone because of it, I think it does matter."

"It doesn't."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "You're so stubborn."

"I want another kiss, Polka-dots." His eyes were closed again.

She snorted. "And why would I do that?"

"Someone's going to knock on that door in about thirty seconds or less and this might be the last time I see you," he told her. "The things we regret most are the chances we never took."

Her eyes filled with tears, and she didn't have a chance to stop them before they started pouring down her cheeks. "What are you talking about?"

"The clock's ticking."

She never got a chance to do what he had asked, for the knock on the door that he had predicted stopped her.

"Answer it."

"Why should I?"

"That wasn't a request either, Polka-dots. It's an order."

Reluctantly, she got off of the bed, stopping to pick her open phone off of the ground and put it in her purse, which was still sitting beside the closet door. Then, she hesitantly unbolted the door and peeked out.

The man on the other side of the door didn't offer the slightest greeting. He pushed the door open, squishing her between the wall and the door, and then glided gracefully into the room. He stopped when he was in sight of the bed Natsume was currently lying on.

"Natsume."

"Persona."

Mikan slammed the door shut and stomped over to the man, trying to rid her vision of the blur her tears were creating by blinking furiously. "What do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

Persona didn't look at her. Instead, he reached to his neck and pulled a bottle off of a silver chain. Inside the bottle were two pills. He popped the small cap off and poured the pills into his hand. "I have another job for you."

Mikan narrowed her eyes. She swung around in front of Persona and crossed her arms over her chest, her feet shoulder width apart. "Don't you think you've done enough damage?" she barked. "Leave him alone."

"You're a feisty little kitten." Persona reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. "A pretty one, too. You're frail, hence the reason you should stay out of my way." He paused, staring her down, and then he raised his eyebrow. "Ah, the alice of nullification."

"Get your hands off of her," Natsume said.

Mikan glared at him. In the blink of an eye, she was slapping the bottom of Persona's hand, causing the pills to fall to the floor. "Leave him alone," she repeated, her tone threatening.

"The pills will help his body heal faster," Persona stated. "Isn't that what you want?"

"His body will heal faster, but that will prove no good when you make him suffer this all over again." She balled her hands into fists. "Every time he uses his alice, he's one step closer to death. Shouldn't you make your weapons last?"

Persona looked to his wrist where his watch rested. "It's almost 1:30 in the morning. Isn't it past your bedtime?"

She ignored him. "He's not going anywhere with you."

Persona looked over her head at Natsume. His eyes were wide open now. "You have yourself a faithful girlfriend, Natsume? Should I kill her?"

"Back off, Polka-dots."

Mikan looked at him over her shoulder, the glare still in place. "I've had enough of losing people, Hyuuga," she replied sourly.

Persona, annoyed by Mikan's persistence, grabbed her arm and jerked her aside, but he didn't let go. "If Natsume doesn't come with me, girl, the AAO will find you, for that is who he must fight now."

Mikan shot Natsume a warning look and saw that he was fighting with himself.

"Stop it!" she cried, the tears blurring her vision again. "I don't care if they find me! Let them! Don't do this to yourself! I can take care of myself if I have to! Please don't do this to me!"

Natsume kept his eyes on Persona. "What am I supposed to do?"

Mikan tried to pull away. "No!" She shook her head furiously.

"They've called a challenge," Persona explained. "They told me to send you to the 45th Street alley. They want you to bring the girl, Mikan Sakura. They'll have their top guys there, Reo included, and they want you to fight them. If they win, they'll take her. If you win, they'll back off."

Natsume's stoic expression didn't change. "I won't take her."

But Mikan was smiling, suddenly hopeful, despite the tears still rolling down her cheeks. "No, take me!" she insisted breathlessly. "Take me with you! Just let me change into different clothes and I'll come."

"No," Natsume replied firmly.

"Natsume," Persona said sharply.

Mikan frowned. "It wasn't a question," she mocked.

Persona released her arm and bent down to pick up the pills. He pushed Mikan towards the door. "Go get changed, girl."

"I won't take her," Natsume said. "She's been up for seventeen hours. She'll just get in the way."

"I'll drink coffee," Mikan growled.

Persona walked over to the bed. "She's agreeing to go," he said. "Take the pills and stop arguing."

Mikan picked up her purse and opened the door. "I'll be back in a minute." She ran down the hallway and back to her room, where she dropped her purse once more and ran over to her dresser. Mr. Narumi had had a change of clothes sent over for them.

She pulled out the pair of tight jeans, light blue T-shirt, and a soft white sweater. She quickly undressed and redressed in her new outfit. She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and slipped it into her tight pocket. Then she left the room, closing the door behind her and running back down the hall. She knocked on the door and it opened on the second knock.

Natsume was standing before her, looking angry.

"Wow, those pills really do work," Mikan stated, her eyes wide with disbelief.

He walked by her, grabbing her arm as he passed. "You have no idea how much danger you're putting yourself in by agreeing to this."

Mikan stumbled after him. "Now I get to spend time with you, even if the result isn't good," she said happily. "And I won't be able to think about my grandpa."

He waited for the elevator doors to open before shoving her inside. She collided with the wall, and yelped, but she couldn't jump forward, for his body formed a cage around her, like it had back at the school once before.

"This isn't what I want for you," he said through clenched teeth.

"Life is only a 50-50 chance of getting what you want," Mikan quoted, glaring at him.

The elevator doors closed.

His glare was much more convincing. "You don't want to me get killed right in front of you. Why would you come if you don't want to see that?"

Mikan pushed him back. "If they kill you, they kill me, too."

His glare intensified, if that was even possible. "Don't say that."

The doors opened again and he spun on his heel, walking swiftly past the main desk and to the main entrance, Mikan trailing behind him. She giggled when she saw that the windows were wet with rain.

"It's raining," she said.

"Fits the mood," he retorted.

She ignored him. "I wonder if the press will be out this late," she wondered out loud.

"That's our last concern." He pushed the doors open and stepped out into the rain. His red T-shirt was soaked almost instantly.

Mikan jumped out and spun around. "This is fun!" she exclaimed, arms outstretched.

"It won't be when we get there." He began to walk casually down the street.

Mikan pranced after him. "You're going to kick their butts!" She punched her fist into the air. Her long hair was already soaked and sticking to her face and wet clothes.

"Didn't you hear Persona?" Natsume hissed. "He said they're going to have their top guys."

Mikan shrugged. "So?"

He shook his head. "You're unbelievable."

"Thank you."

They walked in silence, the only sound being the pitter-patter of rain on the sidewalk and the occasional hum of an engine of a car. Twice they passed some teenager about their age who would make a rude remark about Natsume thinking he was cool or about Mikan being hot, and both times they received the same treatment; burned hair.

Natsume stopped at an opening between two buildings. "This is where they should be."

Mikan looked down the eerie alley with a growing sense of fear, but she shook it off and swung herself in front of him. She reached up and put her hands on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her.

"About that kiss you wanted earlier…" Her voice trailed off and she smiled sweetly. "Thanks for this." And then she reached up on her tiptoes and captured his lips.

Maybe he was surprised, or maybe he wasn't, since he never seemed to be surprised. But he must have been at least a little bit shocked when he discovered that she didn't need an invitation to part her lips this time.

He might have made it last longer, but that would be fatal.

He pulled away and jumped back, taking her with him.

"Well, isn't that sweet."

The voice was familiar, one belonging to none other than Reo.

Mikan, her face against Natsume's chest, was still.

Six AAO members surrounded them, Reo included.

"Your grandfather would be proud, Mikan." Reo's tone was mocking.

Mikan's breath caught in her throat. Slowly, she turned in Natsume's arms, her eyes wide. "You killed him," she breathed in realization. "You killed my grandpa."

"Bastard," Natsume hissed.

Reo chuckled. "Death is a great way to physically and mentally weaken someone."

Mikan's eyes slowly narrowed until she was glaring. "You're a selfish, cold-hearted fool," she said coolly, pressing her trembling body into Natsume's arms. "You deserve nothing more than to go die in a stupid hole."

Natsume leaned down so that his mouth was by her ear. "Not so brave now, are you?" he whispered. "You get to watch."

She grasped at his arm. "You're going to get yourself killed if I watch."

"It's better than you."

"You're overprotective."

"Are you saying you want to die?"

She glared at him. "No. I'm saying that I don't want to watch _you _die."

Reo was beginning to circle around them, motioning for his companions to stay put. "I least expected to see you two end up together. The dangerous black cat and the innocent Mikan Sakura. Not a very likely match."

Mikan had never expected it a likely match either.

"When I first heard that you were singing together, I was thrilled!" Reo continued tauntingly. "How much easier could you make it for me to get you. I'm surprised Narumi let you stay in a hotel with no protection. What was he thinking?"

"We can take care of ourselves," Mikan retorted angrily.

Natsume shoved Mikan back against the wall of the building that helped form the alley. He lit a small flame in his hand, a flame much too powerful to be extinguished by the pouring rain.

Mikan's eyes were wide with fear. She wasn't sure if she was breathing or not, and she had to look away from the beginnings of the battle before she could remember how to exhale.

How did she manage to get involved in this?

She mentally slapped herself. By letting herself finally fall in love, she was putting everything she ever knew at risk. But did that give her any reason to stop loving?

No, she was much too familiar with that. She had detached herself from her heart to escape the pain of losing someone precious to her. It wasn't until Natsume taught her that she was able to love did she realize that she had nearly lost herself in the process of escaping love.

With a heavy heart, she watched as Natsume slowly fell victim to Reo's voice.

Without thinking, she reached forward and brushed her fingers over his strong arm. Her alice reached him, and he broke free of the trance Reo had created.

"Back off, Polka-dots," he warned.

"I'm helping," she said softly.

One of Reo's gooneys created a barrier between Natsume and Mikan. Mikan felt an electric shock in her arm and she staggered back, eyes wide with shock.

Reo smirked as he once again used his voice to send Natsume into that evil world of nothingness.

Mikan laid her hand against the barrier, and it immediately diminished. Once again, she touched Natsume's arm and brought him back.

"I see you had reasoning for bringing the girl along," Reo mused. "She seems to be coming in quite handy for you, doesn't she? It reminds me of the time so long ago when she saved you. Do you remember Natsume?"

Mikan flinched. She remembered that all too well.

She wasn't sure how it happened. One minute he was on the other side of Natsume, and then one of Reo's other companions was behind her, seizing her arms and jerking her backwards.

She squeaked as the force caused a searing pain to shoot through her shoulder joints.

Reo began taunting Natsume once again. Natsume tried using his fire alice, but the one with the barrier was shielding his leader.

"Mikan." The voice was soft, cold, and familiar.

Mikan turned her head, surprised. "Hotaru?"

Hotaru stood alongside Ruka, Tsubasa, Koko, Anna, Sumire, and Nonoko, all of which had similar looks of distaste on their faces.

Sumire rubbed her cheeks with her fists and sprouted ears and whiskers. She dropped down on all fours and growled menacingly, slinking towards Reo, her lip pulled back in a snarl.

Tsubasa was using the light of the streetlights to capture the shadows of two more men, those who's alices were still a mystery.

Hotaru had her baka gun in hand.

Nonoko was holding a beaker containing who-knows-what.

Anna looked furious, almost like she was about to kill someone.

Koko had that famous blank stare on his face, complete with a goofy grin.

Ruka stood with a very large owl perched on his shoulder, his blue eyes narrowed into slits.

Neither Natsume nor Reo were distracted by the unexpected arrival of Mikan and Natsume's allies. Natsume had managed to circle Reo with a flame, but Reo once again had partial control over him.

The man holding Mikan, however, was distracted just enough for her to pull away and stumble unsteadily into Hotaru's awaiting arms.

"Don't listen to his voice," Ruka warned them.

Mikan looked over her shoulder, past all of the AAO men and at the big green dumpster sitting in the alley. Through the darkness and the sheet of rain, it looked like nothing more than a shadow, but she knew differently. There had to be something she could use as a weapon.

Hotaru caught on quickly. "Hurry." She pushed Mikan forward.

Nonoko shook her beaker with an evil look on her face. "Ready, Mikan?"

Anna wore a similar devious look.

Nonoko wound up her arm and threw it as hard as she could at the ground between Natsume and Reo. As the beaker shattered, a blue smog rose, causing Reo's voice to stop suddenly and giving Mikan enough time to lunge past them.

The smog didn't last long, but it gave her enough time to get to the dumpster unnoticed.

Anna had one man in a headlock, while Nonoko had her fingers secured around his throat.

Ruka's owl had taken off and was repeatedly striking the man that had held Mikan with its sharp beak. Sumire was clawing at another guy's leg, while Hotaru and Koko merely watched in amusement.

Mikan hoisted herself up onto the dumpster so that her abdomen was resting on the edge. She began rifling through the garbage frantically while the fight just outside the alley continued.

Something sliced her fingers. She jerked her hand back in alarm, and then brought it up in front of her face only to see blood trickling down onto her palm. Smiling triumphantly, she reached back into the dumpster.

The sharp object was a piece of scrap metal used to frame things. It was lightweight and small, easily able to be thrown. With a grunt, she dropped back to the ground and let her long legs take her back to the battle. She stopped, still in the darkness of the alley, and wound up her arm.

Unfortunately, the man whose alice enabled him to create barriers saw the piece of sharp metal heading for Reo's throat. Before either of her friends had a chance to stop him, his barrier encased Reo…and the metal ricocheted off of it, heading straight for Natsume.

"Natsume!" Ruka's voice was loud over the pounding of the rain.

Mikan had never seen Natsume's eyes so wide.

She wasn't sure how it happened. One minute she was watching in horror as her weapon took a detour, and the next she was jumping forward, panic-stricken, in front of the piece of metal.

She manage to push Natsume partially out of the way, her back against his body. But she couldn't get herself out of the way fast enough, and the sharp part of the metal slashed across her sweater.

The shock stopped her from screaming. Everything seemed to freeze.

There was a long tear in her shirt and sweater. The edges of the white sweater around the rip were stained red as the blood gushed out.

"Mikan!" Hotaru's voice was more panicked then she had ever heard it before.

Mikan dragged her hand across the wound, as if making sure she wasn't dreaming. When she realized she wasn't, she felt a wave of nausea, followed by a strong surge of dizziness.

It wasn't a fatal wound.

Was it a side effect of the barrier?

Before she could come to anymore conclusions, she blacked out.

* * *

Mikan whimpered at the stabbing pain in her stomach. As much as she wanted to stay in the darkness that smothered most of the pain, she wanted to find out what had become of her. 

Was she dead? Unlikely. She never expected death to be so uncomfortable.

In the hospital? Also unlikely. She couldn't hear any annoying beeping.

She mentally shrugged. One way to find out.

She pried her eyes open and waited for her vision to focus.

The first thing she saw was the striking pair of crimson eyes, followed by the handsome face of Natsume Hyuuga.

Her shirt was rolled up to beneath her breast. She had a long gash all the way across her stomach, one which Natsume was currently dabbing gently with a warm, wet cloth. Her hand ached, and when she lifted it up to see why, she saw that it was wrapped in a bandage.

It came back to her much to fast.

With a gasp, she sat up.

The groan came quickly after and she collapsed back to the bed.

"Stay still, Polka-dots," Natsume commanded harshly.

Mikan turned her head weakly. "What happened?" she croaked.

Natsume met her gaze briefly and then went back to dabbing at the wound. "The barrier somehow managed to poison you. Imai thinks it was from the chemical reaction your crazy friends set off." He hesitated. "I gave you something that would slow the spread of the poison."

Mikan frowned. "What did you give me?" she demanded.

He held up a small, empty bottle. "The pills Persona gives me."

Her heartbeat slowed. "Why do you act like that's a bad thing?"

"They strengthen your body for awhile, but in the long run, the weaken you."

Mikan's heart stopped altogether. "How long have you been taking those?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Her eyes welled up with tears. "How long?"

"Eight years."

She closed her eyes and pinched her lips together, ignoring the pain in her hand and stomach. "How much does that shorten your life?" she whispered.

He sighed and ran his rough hand along her jawbone. "You're unbelievable."

She struggled to roll onto her side so that she could face him. When she spoke, her teeth were clenched. "How much, Natsume?"

He shrugged and continued dabbing at the wound. "Could be years, could be months, or could be days." He flicked her forehead with his free hand. "Don't you ever worry about yourself?"

She glared at him and rubbed her forehead. "I don't need to worry about myself. There's nothing wrong with me."

He rolled his eyes. "I don't know if you're body can handle those pills."

"This injury itself isn't fatal."

"That doesn't change anything."

She had a blank look on her face. "This is the most dramatic year of my life."

"If you don't like drama, you shouldn't be around me." He glanced at her to see her reaction.

As he had suspected, her eyes were narrowed into slits. "You aren't the cause of drama. Drama is for girls. You're more of a magnet for danger, but I realize now…" Her voice trailed off and she looked away, as if afraid to see what he would say.

"Yes?" He raised his eyebrow again.

"It doesn't matter," she finished.

His hands froze. "It doesn't matter?" he repeated, with a touch of the anger she had feared. "It doesn't matter if me being with you could put your life in danger?"

She met his gaze and shook her head. "No."

He dropped the cloth to the floor. "Yes, you're unbelievable."

Mikan took a deep breath and held it, closing her eyes to plan out her next words. When she opened them again, she saw that Natsume was waiting impatiently for her to continue.

She bit her lip. "I love you, Natsume Hyuuga, and I don't care if you're dangerous to be around, or if you're a dangerous person." She reached her arms out and wrapped them firmly around his neck, dragging herself off of the soft bed and into his lap. "I don't care."

She felt him sigh and put his hand on her back. Then he adjusted her position and stood up, cradling her against his chest. "You're coming with me," she said, putting her feet gently on the ground.

Mikan nodded and rolled down her shirt. "'Kay," she said.

They were back at the academy, that she knew for sure, since she recognized Natsume's room. He took her out into the halls and down to the yard. It was light out, probably the middle of the afternoon.

Natsume had his arm over her shoulders, making sure she didn't collapse. As they walked, many people gave them amazed looks. They must have heard about their possible relationship from magazines, but seeing it for real must have still been a shock.

Natsume sat down with his back against the trunk of his usual relaxation spot – the cherry blossom tree. Mikan dropped to her knees in front of him, ignoring the stabbing pain in her stomach.

"What kind of girl would like to spend the rest of their life with someone who may come home one day half-dead?" Natsume slowly pulled up the hem of his shirt, only to reveal the tensor bandage Mikan had put on his wound to be soaked through with crimson liquid.

She gasped. "Natsume…" She crawled forward slightly, so that her arms were on either side of his body. "You won't die," she promised. "You won't die unless I die too."

He smirked. "You're pretty gutsy."

She collapsed on his lap. "I'd do it for anyone I care about."

"You shouldn't care about me."

She glared up at him. "Stop it," she growled. "It's my choice."

"I might hurt you," he warned.

She shrugged. "Physically…mentally…emotionally…I don't care. Everyone in life is going to hurt you. You just have to figure out which ones are worth the pain." Her brown eyes locked with his crimson ones. "Just look at Hotaru and me. She smokes me with her baka gun all the time, but do you see me backing down? You're worth it, Natsume."

"That's deep," he commented.

"Mhmm," she agreed, resting her head against his chest.

"Mikan! Mikan!"

Mikan shot into an upright position in surprise, just in time to see Anna and Nonoko running down the path. They skidded to a stop when they saw her, and smiled when they saw who she was with.

"Hotaru and Ruka kissed!" they rejoiced.

Mikan blinked. _Huh? _"When did they become a couple?" she wondered out loud.

"It was so obvious," Anna drawled. "You should have seen it!"

Mikan shot to her feet and ran over to Anna and Nonoko and began to jump up and down energetically. "Oh, my God! They kissed!" the three of them chanted.

She hadn't realized it before. Through the gloomy haze of her tragic misfortunes, she hadn't realized that her life still held those precious moments, the ones she wished to cherish forever.

"And they're scheduling another concert, and time in a recording studio to release an album," Nonoko went on.

And it would continue like that – bad luck and good luck together – until the very end of her time.

* * *

A/N: slightly long. Oh well. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I didn't think i was going to be able to update until later this week, but i had some spare time this afternoon so i finished it up. 

We don't have to wait an extra week for the puppy anymore! Woot! As of today, 13 days until we get it! It's the same weekend as my basketball tournament so i get to skip out on the 5 hour drive to pick it up and the 5 hour drive back. Rolled my ankle in basketball practice, and if my dad's not going to be around for my tournament i might have to get him to show me how to tape it up. Damn it all. lol. Anyway, i hope you enjoyed the chapter, and i really appreciate all of the feedback i'm getting!

xoxo

Ducky-san


	10. Chapter 10 Spiral Downwards

No, unfortunately I don't own Gakuen Alice.

Sorry belongs to Buckcherry

Slipped Away belongs to Avril Lavigne

* * *

Mikan, after Anna and Nonoko had left, had suddenly remembered that Natsume was still bleeding

Mikan, after Anna and Nonoko had left, had suddenly remembered that Natsume was still bleeding. With a gasp, she spun on her heel, only to sigh in relief when she saw that Natsume was still sitting there with his head against the tree trunk, his eyes closed in relaxation.

Soon after, she realized she was still in pain. With a groan, she staggered back to the tree Natsume sat against. She collapsed on the ground beside him and released a sigh.

"What ever happened with the fight?" she asked.

"We won." His eyes remained closed.

She nodded, but she didn't bother masking the relief. "Thanks." She turned to him. "I really appreciate it."

"This is wrong."

She was startled. "Huh?"

Without another word, he stood up and began to head back towards the school. Frowning, she jumped to her feet and followed, having to almost jog to keep up with his fast pace. It was almost as if he were running away from her.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

Natsume lifted his hand. On cue, a small flame started at the tips of her long hair and the smell of burning hair drifted into her nose. With a screech, she hopped back, batting at her hair frantically. By the time it was out, little damage done, Natsume was gone.

* * *

"Hotaru!" Mikan wailed. "I don't get it!"

"What makes you think I do?" Hotaru replied stoically.

Mikan was sitting on the floor in Hotaru's lab while Hotaru busily worked on one of her inventions. She was going on and on about how life didn't make sense, and how she didn't know what she said or did, and Hotaru was offering her absolutely no comfort.

"You're almost exactly like him! You're cold and you act like you hate life, and you kiss people for no reason."

Hotaru stopped working and turned to her broken and confused best friend, lying there in a wreck on her floor. "He kissed me, idiot." She leaned against her worktable and stared emotionlessly down at Mikan (intimidating, don't you think?).

"That doesn't help," Mikan continued, throwing her hands all over the place to add emphasis to the point she was trying so desperately to make. "First he hates me, then he kisses me when we're ten years old, which technically means nothing, and then he starts hating me again, but then he saves my life and kisses me again, almost making me believe he wanted to have sex. And _then _he goes and gets himself all beat up and I take care of him and he _asks _me to kiss him!" Her eyes were pleading. "I'm so confused."

"I can see that," Hotaru stated.

"Hotaru!"

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot." She turned back to her invention.

Mikan froze for a minute. "Why can't you people be more straightforward?!"

"What did he say to you?"

"I was rejoicing with Anna and Nonoko about you and Ruka kissing, and then I went back to sit with him and thanked him for beating the AAO's ass, and then he said 'this is wrong', and then he got up and walked away! I tried to follow, but he set my hair on fire!"

Hotaru bobbed her head. "That's it?"

"That's it," Mikan confirmed.

"Idiot."

"What?"

"Idiot."

"HOTARU!"

"You'll understand."

Moping, Mikan dragged herself to her feet and exited the lab. Her head was bowed and her shoulders were slumped as she walked up the path and back to the main building so that she could go relax in her room. She wouldn't have noticed Natsume walking the opposite way, walking by her, had he not had the fire alice.

She felt a blast of heat and looked up.

Natsume avoided making eye contact.

Mikan stopped and watched him walk away. Her shoulders were still slumped. "Why do you suddenly hate me?" she called after him gloomily. "I didn't think it was possible to like someone one moment and then hate their guts the next."

Natsume stopped but didn't turn to her. "I've never liked you."

She felt as though she had been shot.

"You're an annoying little girl who's too dense to realize anything."

She felt as though she had been stomped on.

"You mean nothing to me."

And shot again. All together, she'd been shot, stomped on, and shot again.

He caught the look on her face, but he turned away quickly. Why did she have to be so dense?

Mikan watched him go, the tears welling in her eyes. She was sure she had imagined the tinge of regret in his voice.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" she shouted angrily, trying to blink away the tears preventing her from seeing him. "I didn't do anything!"

She may as well have been talking to no one, because Natsume wasn't listening.

* * *

Mikan couldn't remember crying so much in her life. As she lay there in her bed, buried beneath her blankets, the events of the past days came crashing down. Everything, all at once, fell on her, and she suddenly felt weak.

Natsume had been on the verge of death.

She realized she had finally fallen in love with someone, someone she had least expected.

Her grandfather died – no, he was murdered.

She was injured in a fight that would determine who won her. Come on! She's not a prize!

And then she gets shunned, and she doesn't even know why.

One hell of a week.

Her breaths were choppy as she tried to control herself. Her pillow was soaked with her tears. A good majority of her hair was plastered to her face, and the strands that weren't were lying around her curled up body in no particular order.

This is how she spent the night.

This is how she dealt with her broken heart.

* * *

Mikan had given the cold shoulder to everyone except Hotaru and the rest of her band. She never went to meetings when the White Tigers were in the same room as the Fallen Angels, and she refused to go into the recording studio with Natsume when they were due to record their first album, forcing Hotaru to postpone it until Mikan got herself together.

But it had been a month and a half, with their next concert climbing closer, and Mikan was still a mess. She went to class, grabbed some food, and went to bed. She isolated herself from the rest of her classmates, and the only people she let into her room were her four band members.

Once, Hotaru was watching Mikan wallow in her self-pity when she finally decided that she had had enough. "Mikan, why do you have to be so dense?"

Hotaru Imai, the brainiac, had known all along.

"Shut up, Hotaru," Mikan had retorted. "I'm not in the mood."

"Idiot." And Hotaru had left the room.

* * *

Life went on, as it always does. But Mikan never changed. She stayed alone. Sumire often tried to comfort her, saying that she had been rejected by Natsume many times, but then she would add that her and Natsume never really had a relationship, so it was technically different for Mikan.

Before she knew it, she was standing backstage with a pile of clothes in her arms.

She knew that Natsume and Hotaru had been talking. About what, she couldn't imagine.

Since Natsume hadn't been the one to give her the costumes, she was glad to see that they were normal and not skimpy. Instead of having short skirts and revealing tank tops, they had casual, tight jeans and casual tank tops.

Natsume walked by her once, wearing skinny jeans and a muscle shirt – very sexy – and she could almost imagine the look in his eyes pleading her to realize.

Her smile still gone, even after it had been almost two months, she turned towards the change rooms.

Mikan adjusted the height of the microphone stand, her eyes downcast, barely aware of the screams of the fans below her. She wore no smile, not even a fake one. This was no time to be smiling.

"'Kay guys," she said into the microphone. "This one's for my grandpa, who…" She took a breath, "…passed away recently."

Nonoko started on the keyboard.

**(Mikan) **_Na na, na na na, na na  
I miss you, miss you so bad.  
I don't forget you, oh it's so sad.  
I hope you can hear me.  
I remember it clearly._.

_The day you slipped away  
Was the day I found it won't be the same.  
Ooooh_

_Na na na na na na na_

_I didn't get around to kiss you  
Goodbye on the hand.  
I wish that I could see you again.  
I know that I can't_

_It was hard to sing through her tears._

**(Mikan) **_Oooooh  
I hope you can hear me cause I remember it clearly._

_The day you slipped away.  
Was the day I found it won't be the same.  
Ooooh_

_I had my wake up.  
Won't you wake up?  
I keep asking why.  
And I can't take it.  
It wasn't fake.  
It happened, you passed by._

_Now you're gone, now you're gone.  
There you go, there you go,  
Somewhere I can't bring you back.  
Now you're gone, now you're gone.  
There you go, there you go,  
Somewhere your not coming back._

_The day you slipped away.  
Was the day I found it won't be the same noo..  
The day you slipped away.  
Was the day that I found it won't be the same oooh..._

_Na na, na na na, na na  
I miss you…_

The cheer was sad, though it was the proper mood for the song. She turned on her heel, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She strode past Natsume without acknowledging his presence. If she hadn't been so caught up in her sorrow, she might have realized the small smirk on Hotaru's lips as she exited the stage.

Mikan stopped at the wall and pounded her fists against it. "Dammit!" she yelled over the music. "Why is this happening to me?" She sank to her knees, her shoulders shaking violently.

Hotaru cast her a sidelong glance but let her be, because her mood was sure to change when Natsume sang his next song. The press would get something more than they had ever gotten before…

**(Natsume) **_Oh I had a lot to say  
Was thinking on my time away  
I missed you and things weren't the same  
'Cause everything inside, it never comes out right  
And when I see you cry it makes me wanna die._

_I'm sorry I'm bad, I'm sorry you're blue  
I'm sorry about all the things I said to you  
And I know I can't take it back.  
I love how you kiss, I love all your sounds  
And baby the way you make my world go 'round  
And I just wanted to say I'm sorry._

Mikan's sobbing seized.

**(Natsume) **_This time I think I'm to blame  
It's harder to get through the days  
We get older and blame turns to shame  
'Cause everything inside it never comes out right  
And when I see you cry it makes me wanna die._

_I'm sorry I'm bad, I'm sorry you're blue  
I'm sorry about all the things I said to you  
And I know I can't take it back.  
I love how you kiss, I love all your sounds  
And baby the way you make my world go 'round  
And I just wanted to say I'm sorry._

_Every single day I think about how we came all this way.  
The sleepless nights and the tears you cried  
It's never too late to make it right.  
Oh yeah sorry._

_I'm sorry I'm bad, I'm sorry you're blue.  
I'm sorry about all the things I said to you  
And I know I can't take it back.  
I love how you kiss, I love all your sounds  
And baby the way you make my world go 'round  
And I just wanted to say I'm sorry.  
I'm sorry baby.  
I'm sorry baby, Yeah.  
I'm sorry._

Mikan pushed herself unsteadily to her feet and turned to face the curtain that divided them from the stage, one hand still on the wall, as if it was holding her up.

Natsume was panting as he spoke into the microphone. "That song was dedicated to a very dense but very special someone standing backstage right now." He paused as the crowd erupted in screams of glee. "You probably hate me, but that one was for you, Polka-dots."

She had missed him more than ever over the last two months, almost more than she could bear. A couple of times, she had eyed the drawer in her room that was home to some sharp knives, but now she was glad that she hadn't gone any further than that.

Hotaru smirked. "Idiot. Aren't you going to make a dramatic entrance?"

Her cheeks stained with tears, Mikan burst through the curtains, running around the setup of the instruments until she reached the front of the stage, where Natsume looked over his shoulder and spotted her just on time.

He swung around and readied himself as she leapt forward, clamping her long legs around his waist and locking her arms around his neck. With her nose at his neck, she inhaled the scent that she had missed so much.

Come to think of it, she didn't think it was possible to miss someone so much.

Of course, the fans went absolutely wild…but there was more to come.

"I don't understand," Mikan whispered, her mouth against his ear.

Natsume hugged her tight, as if he was scared to let go. "I'll tell you everything when we get back to the school…on one condition."

Mikan frowned to herself and lifted her head, giving him a quizzical look.

He pushed her head back so that his mouth was by her ear, so that he could talk without shouting. "I'll take you to you room, you can get your pajamas, and then you're coming back to my room with me."

"Excuse me?"

"We've done it before, Polka-dots. You're sleeping in my bed tonight. With me. And if you don't, then I'm not explaining anything to you." He nipped at her earlobe. "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't want to do that again."

Mikan shook her head. "It's a deal."

The crowd had begun chanting one word. 'Kiss'.

"Well, are you going to disappoint them?" Natsume asked in a low voice.

Mikan pulled her head back and shook it again. "And give up my first kiss with you in two months? Are you kidding? You're like a drug." And then she closed the distance between her lips and his.

She'd never missed someone so much it hurt…not until her grandpa died and Natsume started giving her the cold shoulder. Now that she was finally touching him again, holding him, she wasn't sure if she wanted to let go again, as if she would lose him all over.

It wasn't likely for someone to love you one moment, hate you the next, and then love you again right after. But life's full of twists and turns, no doubt about it.

* * *

Mikan groaned tiredly as Natsume placed her on her feet on the solid ground in her bedroom. She stumbled lazily to her dresser and tried to get a hold of the handles. When she did, with great effort, she nearly threw the drawer out in frustration. Natsume watched in amusement as she pulled out a pair of pajamas and walked to her small bathroom to get her toothbrush.

Barely a minute had passed when he heard a loud noise. Rolling his eyes, he walked calmly over to the bathroom and stared down at Mikan, who was lying on the ground with her eyes closed with her toothbrush in her mouth.

"Polka-dots, get up."

With a gasp, she scrambled to her feet. She spat into the sink and rinsed her mouth before heading for the door. Unfortunately, in her haste as well as drowsiness, she ran into the doorframe.

"Ouch." And she was back on the ground.

Natsume sighed and picked her up by the upper arms and set her on her feet. He led her over to the bed where she had set the pajamas down and sat her down.

"Take your shirt off," he ordered, picking up the pajama top.

She looked up at him through half-closed lids. "Huh?" she mumbled.

Rolling his eyes once again, he reached behind her and pulled her shirt up over her head, earning himself a squeak of protest.

"What are you doing?" she snapped, though she didn't sound as threatening as she had aimed for.

"I'm putting you in your pajamas." He didn't both spending too much time ogling over her breasts, covered by a black lace bra, a bra with white polka dots. He slipped the pajama tank top over her head and then stood her up. "You have to take your own pants off."

"Mhmm." She unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans and stepped out of them, revealing lace panties to match her bra.

"Still into polka-dotted panties, little girl?"

"Thanks to you." She managed to step into her long, silk pajama pants, only with the help of Natsume. Before long, he was picking her up and exiting the room, carrying her down the hall to his own room.

When he got to the familiar door, he opened it, for he had left it unlocked for this reason. He carried Mikan inside, shutting the door behind him with his foot, and then brought her over to his bed. He laid her down carefully, as not to disturb her kinda-sorta sleep, and tucked the blankets around her.

He carried on with his night activities – had a shower, brushed his teeth, locked the door, closed the curtains, and then walked over to the bed on the opposite side Mikan lay on, wearing nothing but a pair of baggy boxers.

He snaked his arms around Mikan's waist and reeled her in, breathing in her long-missed strawberry scent.

Unexpectedly, she rolled over so that she was almost on her stomach, but mostly sprawled across his warm, bare chest. "I'm still waiting for the explanation to my dreadful misery for the past two months," she said in a clearer voice. She shifted so that she was on her side, facing him, her body not in contact with his, besides his arms, which were still around her waist. "And I thought I might get a goodnight kiss."

He rolled onto his side, too, so that he was facing her. "I'm surprised you're still awake."

"I'll forget if I fall asleep." She ran her right hand, the one that wasn't underneath her, across his perfectly toned stomach, and she stopped where she could feel the faded grooves of what used to be a life-threatening injury. "Do you have any bandages on you?"

"I haven't gone on a mission for two months." He touched her cold hand. "Which leads us to my explanation." He sighed in contentment. "The day before you woke up, after that ordeal with the AAO, Persona called me to his office and asked me to go on another mission. I told him I wouldn't. He said that he would torture _you _if I didn't. I took you out to the park to tell you that, but I got caught up in an argument with myself and thought it was better if you didn't know. I gave you the cold shoulder until Persona thought I didn't care about you, so he wouldn't hurt you."

She was shocked beyond words.

"Believe it or not, Polka-dots, I told Narumi that the labor Persona put Ruka and I through was unacceptable. And this is what became of it. We don't have to do missions because Persona's been dealt with."

"Dealt with?"

"I don't know what that's supposed to mean either."

"I would have liked an explanation," Mikan mumbled.

"You got one. That means you have to stop starving yourself and start kissing me to make up for all the ones in between that I didn't get."

"Why don't _you _do the kissing?" she replied.

He leaned down so that she could feel his breath against her lips. She shuddered involuntarily, and he noticed. Pleased with himself, he planted a soft kiss against her soft lips.

She smiled. "I missed you."

He kissed her again. "It won't happen again."

"It better not."

He kissed her again. "It won't," he promised.

"Hey, Natsume?" Her voice was suddenly grave. "You're not going to die, are you?"

He frowned. "Why would you think that?"

He felt her shrug. "Anna and Nonoko made me watch a movie with them. It was really sad. The guy in the movie died and left his wife with a bunch of letters that were guiding her, I guess. It was called PS: I Love You, and it was kind of depressing. You won't leave me, will you?"

He rolled his eyes at her childishness. "No, I'm not going to die." He rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. "You know, I really hate how dense you are sometimes."

"Hey!"

"I didn't know if my plan at the concert was going to work. I was trying to give you clues, but you didn't notice. Can you imagine what would happen if you didn't approve of my plan?"

Mikan threw herself onto his bare chest. "Why don't we think about happier things?"

"Like how you're in my bed, lying on top of me, when I'm only wearing boxers?" He chuckled.

Mikan rested her head against his chest. "I said 'happier' not 'perverted'."

"That is a happy thought."

She rested her head in the crook of his neck, her arms bunched up beneath her. "Pervert," she mumbled sleepily.

He slipped his hand up the front of her shirt, making her tense and squeak. "Relax," he said. "I'm not going to rape you." He could feel where she had been injured. There was no doubt that it would forever scar her perfect body.

She sighed softly, content. "Can you do me a favor in the morning?"

"Hm." Her favorite, snotty sound.

"After I wake up and have a shower, can you make out with me?" She wiggled closer, if that was possible. "You smell good, by the way." She lifted her head and planted a tender kiss on his lips.

"Not much of a favor," he said with a smirk. "I bet you can't wait until morning."

"You're right. I can't."

* * *

When Mikan awoke in the morning, her legs were tangled in Natsume's. Her head was on the pillow, barely a centimeter from Natsume's. Her right arm was wrapped around him, and she was glad to see that his eyes were still closed, for her face was currently bathing in a pool of slobber.

Disgusted, she sat up and wiped it off of her cheek.

The room was lightly illuminated from the sunlight let in through the bottom of the curtains that covered the windows. The birds were chirping happily outside, and she could already tell that it was going to be a wonderful day.

She carefully flung the blankets back and was just about to put her foot down on the ground when Natsume stirred beside her and sat up with a tired moan. He ran his hand through his messy hair and blinked to focus his vision. "I thought you wanted to make out."

She laughed. "Of course I do," she said quietly. "But I said after I had a shower." She stood up and stretched and was just taking a step towards the bathroom when Natsume snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her back down onto the bed.

She yelped in surprise. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

He laid her down on her back and hovered over her with that famous smirk on his face. "I'm not in the mood to wait." It definitely wasn't a request.

Mikan frowned. "But I smell bad."

"You smell like strawberries," he corrected, leaning down so that his mouth was barely touching hers. "Last time I made out with you was pretty good, but I want it better, understand?"

She narrowed her eyes as a challenge. "You're on."

Still smirking, he attached his mouth to hers, gently at first. He slipped his arm underneath her and flipped her on top of him, one hand on the back of her neck. As he had done before, he ran his tongue along her bottom lip.

Even though it had happened before, his skill made her pull away, breathless. After taking a few deep breaths, she glared down at him. "Can you stop making me forget how to breathe?" she hissed.

He gave her a blank look. "I'm not doing anything."

"You're too good."

"I know you have it in you."

"Really? How so?"

"You were pretty good for your first time. Your second should be better." He pulled her face down again. After giving her a few more kisses, keeping his tongue to himself, he rolled her over again, so that his body was mostly on top of hers.

"I thought you wanted to make out," Natsume teased, pulling away again.

Mikan glared at him again. "Well, you're going to have to stop with the skimpy kisses and keep your mouth on mine before I can do any making out."

And the morning carried on.

* * *

Life was good.

Both bands took a trip down to the recording studio, and before long, each band had one album out. They had about the same amount of sales, and that number was bursting through the roof, no doubt about it.

They weren't scheduled to have another concert until fall, around the last day of school, the last day of being trapped in the Academy. Each day, the grade 12 students climbed closer and closer to freedom, and that meant final exams.

The day before the math exam, Mikan had spent 14 hours studying. Now, though the studying paid off and she felt good about the test, she was exhausted. When she finished, with ten minutes left in the class, she folded her arms under her head and closed her eyes.

She didn't notice when Mr. Narumi entered the classroom and called Ruka and Natsume out.

It wasn't until the bell rang and she looked around, dazed, did she realize the absence of the two handsome lads. At first, she was confused, and wondered if she was going crazy. She couldn't remember if Ruka and Natsume had even shown up for class to begin with.

And then she saw Hotaru sitting in her seat, unaware of the activity around her, staring at the door as people exited.

Frowning, Mikan stood up and slowly walked over to her. "Where'd they go?"

Hotaru shifted her eyes to her best friend, though her head didn't move. "Narumi came and took them out. Persona was with him."

Had her heart just stopped?

* * *

Mikan forgot how fast she was able to run. She raced down the hallways, her eyes clouded with tears, but she didn't stop until she reached Natsume's room. She didn't even bother knocking, but instead she just tore the door open, not entirely surprised to see it unlocked.

She shut the door and turned around abruptly, only to find herself running right into Natsume, knocking him over.

He ended up on the ground flat on his ass, and she ended up on her hands and knees, between his slightly outstretched legs. She stared at him, slightly surprised, slightly angry, and slightly scared.

"Who said you didn't have to knock?" Though his tone didn't give it away, he knew that she was suspecting.

"You said no more missions!" she screamed. Her cheeks were glistening from her tears. "You said you didn't have to do those stupid missions anymore!" She slammed her fists on the ground repeatedly, her eyes never leaving his. "You lied!"

No facial expression. "Calm down."

She almost looked offended. "How am I supposed to _calm down _when you're getting yourself ready to go and almost get yourself killed? What if this is the last straw for you? What if you're not coming back this time?"

Natsume reached up and put his hands on either side of her face. Her stroked her cheek with his right thumb, wiping away her tears. "I promise you that this is the _last _time we'll be going on a mission," he said sincerely. "We didn't know about it. I didn't expect the AAO to keep to their word. All Ruka and I have to do is blow up their headquarters. As long as we keep quiet, we shouldn't have to do any fighting. Now, I'm not going to start telling you that everything is going to be fine, and I'm definitely _not_ going to promise that we're going to make it back in perfect shape, because I don't know. I will, however, promise that I'll try my hardest to come back for you."

Mikan rocked back onto her heels, but she didn't let Natsume take his hands off of her. Closing her eyes, she nodded. "'Kay," she agreed.

"I have ten minutes before I have to leave." He carefully took his left hand off of her cheek – her eyes shot open in panic at the movement – but he place it instead on her waist and pulled her into his chest. "I'd really like it if I didn't have to be worrying about you worrying about me while we're gone." He rested his chin on the top of her head.

She nodded again.

"If everything goes according to plan, we should only be a couple hours. You can stay in here, if you want to, but it would make a whole lot more sense if you got together with Imai and studied for the science test tomorrow. She's not going to be feeling any better than you are, since her and Ruka are officially a couple. You and I aren't, so you might need to give her a little more comfort."

"Why aren't we an official couple?" Mikan sniffed.

He smirked. "Wait," he said softly. "I have something better in store for you."

They sat in silence for the remainder of his time at the school that night, and a knock on the door disturbed them at exactly 4:15 in the afternoon.

Sighing, Natsume pushed Mikan up and stood up. She stood up after him and wiped her eyes furiously with the back of her hand.

He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, and then went over to open the door.

Ruka didn't look much happier, and Hotaru, who was standing beside him, looked paler than usual, if that was even possible.

Natsume looked over his shoulder to see what Mikan was going to do, and then stepped aside for her to exit and go stand beside Hotaru. He closed the door behind him, nodded at Ruka, and then started down the hallway.

Ruka sighed heavily, kissing Hotaru on the forehead before following Natsume.

* * *

Mikan was lying on her bed, her face buried in her pillow and her shoulders shaking as she cried silently. Hotaru was in her own room, and she had left without a word, only giving Mikan a comforting hug.

Hotaru has always been better at containing her emotions, but Mikan hadn't.

A siren sounded in the distance, maybe multiple sirens.

The seconds seemed like minutes, the minutes like hours. By the time Mikan looked up from her sanctuary under her blankets, only one measly hour had passed. Groaning in frustration and annoyance, she threw her covers back and stood up. She stormed into her kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it up with water from the tap.

Her eyes fell upon the picture of her grandpa.

They hadn't let her go to the funeral.

The damn school was too worried about her 'safety'.

They hand holding the cup began to shake, sloshing water over the tiled floor. Before she had even taken a drink, she wound up her arm and threw it as hard as she could against the wall.

It shattered on impact and she stared blankly at the wet spot on the wall.

On knock on her door stopped her from further destroying her room.

She unsteadily made her way to answer it. When she opened the door, she wasn't surprised to see Hotaru standing there, still grim-faced, still paler than usual.

For a moment, they stood there, staring each other down. Before any words could be exchanged, the sirens Mikan had heard minutes before were suddenly much closer, and with a stabbing feeling in her chest, she realized the sounds were from at least two ambulances.

She turned her head to her window, and then looked back at Hotaru, no expression. Hesitantly, she turned and glided over to the window, only to stagger back as soon as she looked down at the gates.

The guard was opening the metal bars to let two ambulances in.

She turned around and dashed back to the door. Hotaru caught on quickly and followed as she ran down the hallway, thankful for her speed and agility. Only a minute a 41 seconds had passed when they got down to the main building, and only two minutes and 13 seconds has passed when they stopped at the edge of the crowd surrounding the alice hospital.

Why wasn't it surprising to see that most of the onlookers were panicked females?

The ambulances were outside, but whoever they had been carrying were already in the hospital.

Sumire saw them first, and then she eyed the crowd that was nearly impossible to get through. Most of the people in it were part of _her _fanclub, meaning she had control over them.

"Everyone move it!" she shouted over the noise. "Mikan and Hotaru get first priorities!"

The crowd parted.

Flashing a thankful glance to Sumire, Mikan and Hotaru sprinted down the isle created, and entered the alice hospital. Narumi saw them, but he didn't stop them. Instead, he motioned to his left from where he was standing, talking to the paramedics that had brought them in.

Natsume and Ruka were in the same room, in the ICU on the bottom floor. Each had a group of nurses and doctors taking care of them, each had blood covered bandages covering every inch of their body, each was hooked up to multiple machines…

…including a heart monitor.

Each had intensive care, but neither had a beating heart.

* * *

A/N: It's been a pretty crazy week. On Friday and Saturday I had my basketball tournament. We had a back to back game on Saturday since we won the bronze medal game, so we went on to play for gold. Unforunately, I got hurt in the last eight minutes of the game (tore some muscle tissue). My assitant coach carried me off the court (which was funny, seeing as she isn't very big). My screaming was pretty impressive. My teammates thought i broke something because apparently I'm 'not the crying type'. But i managed to get home (with great difficulties and pain) and there was a puppy waiting! Omg he's so cute! He's been the center of my week.

This past Thursday we had a pep rally, which means sports award. I was SO SURE i wasnt going to get an award this time, so i bet someone four bucks and lost. (though MVP is something to be proud of, I was more concerned about my money). haha.

Anyway, Jasper's (that's the puppy's name) has been good. He has this thing for biting.

Sorry for the cliff hanger! ilu guys! haha. Spring break means i should get some updates in :)

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers!

xoxo  
Ducky-san


	11. Chapter 11 After the Storm

No, unfortunately Gakuen Alice does not belong to me.

* * *

Shock.

Disbelief.

Horror.

Sadness.

Hurt.

Had her heart stopped?

Someone once said that the greater your capacity to love, the greater your capacity to feel the pain.

She didn't understand. At first, she thought about getting your heart broken. This was much different. This was a much different kind of pain. Someone she loved was lying in a hospital bed right before her eyes, broken and bleeding, and his heart wasn't beating.

Hotaru was standing beside her, frozen as she stared down at Ruka's closed eyes and beaten face.

Mr. Narumi walked in behind them, a sorrowful look on his face. "Come sit, girls," he said softly. "It's best if you don't watch." He steered them out of the room and towards the waiting area, away from the noise of the crowd outside.

Mikan stumbled into a chair. Hotaru wasn't much more graceful. Her eyes were wide.

Was this really happening?

Mikan began to hyperventilate. Her head felt light, and her face and hands were tingling – lack of oxygen to the brain, no doubt. She tried to imagine what he would say to her if he saw her like this, but the only image her mind could conjure was that of him lying in the hospital bed.

Mr. Narumi sat in the chair across from them.

Hotaru's gaze was almost accusing as she looked up at him, her jaw tight. "What happened?" she said through clenched teeth.

He sighed. "Everything was going according to plan up until they were finished laying the explosives. The AAO knew they were coming. They got ambushed, and there wasn't much they could do." He smiled faintly. "Natsume still exploded the headquarters, though. They saved you. Both of you."

Mikan cupped her hand over her mouth in attempt to stop her feeble sobs from escaping.

"No pulse," she whispered roughly.

Mr. Narumi smiled again. "They'll pull through," he assured them. "They always do."

Hotaru grasped Mikan's free hand, offering comfort and also taking some for herself.

They waited without words, the only sounds being Mikan's loud breathing and Hotaru's occasional sniffle.

It had only been ten minutes when a nurse arrived, her hands gloved, her hair hidden by a cap, her uniform covered in blood. Though she had a mask over her mouth, it was obvious by her eyes that she was smiling.

"We've got both of them in stable condition," she said proudly. "They have a few major injuries, but nothing that can't be fixed in a matter of time. They've both regained consciousness, and they wish to see two lovely young ladies by the names of Hotaru and Mikan." She turned to Mikan and Hotaru and smiled once more. "I'm assuming that's you two."

Mikan was on her feet in record time, pulling Hotaru up after her.

The nurse led them into the room – the commotion had died down hugely – and the room was almost silent, aside from the steady beep of both heart monitors and the dull buzz of the other machinery.

Both had their eyes closed.

"I'll leave you, then." The nurse smiled once more before bustling off.

Mikan was hesitant in entering the room, but when she saw Hotaru rush over to Ruka's side, she cautiously walked in.

She hadn't taken the time to put shoes on when she had hurriedly left the room.

Natsume's eyes opened into slits when he sensed her standing there and his lips twitched up into a smirk. "You look horrible," he commented.

She choked back her sob as she collapsed in the chair beside his bed.

His eyes shifted to her, but his head didn't move. "I thought I told you not to worry," he mumbled. "And now look at you…you look like you just got hit by a train and survived to tell the story."

She frowned. "You're the one that looks like you got hit by a train."

He chuckled, and then winced.

She made a face. "That wasn't supposed to make you laugh. I'm trying to make you feel bad."

Hotaru and Ruka were talking quietly behind her.

He closed his eyes again, but the smirk was still in place.

"My feet hurt," she grumbled, pulling her legs to her chest and massaging her bare feet. "You said you were going to be a couple of hours, not one hour." She glared at him. "I would have had shoes on if you came back at the time you said you would."

"I said it would take a couple of hours if everything went according to plan," he reminded her. "Everything didn't go according to plan, so it doesn't count."

"Good point," she admitted.

"Where's my kiss?" he demanded.

She frowned again. "Jeez," she said. "You're pretty greedy. I'm not going to kiss you when you're in the hospital hooked up to a bunch of machines. I might contaminate you. As if your body's not weak enough. It doesn't need to be fighting sickness."

"I want a kiss now, and you know you want one, too."

"Yes, I do, but it isn't worth a life."

"A kiss will make you feel better." He opened his eyes again. "The nurse said you walked into this room when I was dead. I want you to forget that ever happened. You don't need to cry anymore."

Her eyes watered anyway. Slowly, she dropped her feet to the ground and stood up, hovering over him. "Tell me if I'm hurting you," she said carefully, pulling her hair into her fist so that she didn't tickle him with it. Then she gently pressed her lips to his.

She felt him tense and pulled away quickly. "Sorry," she said quickly.

"You didn't do anything, idiot," he said with annoyance. "You just smell so damn good. I'm the one that has to resist pulling you down and giving you a full blown make out session."

She smiled faintly. "You can save that for when you get better."

He breathed a light chuckle. "I need a favor." It wasn't a question.

She sighed. "You always need favors."

"I disagree."

She shrugged. "What's the favor?"

"You have to promise me you'll do it. No backing out." His voice was sincere, despite being weak.

Mikan gave him an uneasy look. What was he going to ask her? Surely he wouldn't tell her to stay away. She would _never _be able to do that, not ever.

"Okay," she said hesitantly.

"Go out tonight. Go to the new amusement park downtown, go to the mall. Take Imai and the rest of your pathetic band with you. Forget about Ruka and I until we're better." His eyes were opened into slits again.

She frowned again. "I'd slap you for calling us pathetic if I wasn't so afraid I would do something wrong and disconnect something." And then she collapsed back into the chair. "The school won't let us out. They didn't even let me out for my grandpa's funeral."

"Your grandpa didn't want you at the funeral."

"Excuse me?"

"He thought it would be too depressing for you."

"And how do you know?"

"He sent Narumi a letter, and Narumi told me about it."

Mikan wasn't sure whether to believe him or not. She shrugged it off. "They won't let us out."

"I may be lying in a hospital bed, but that doesn't mean I can't burn them." He lifted his hand, palm completely visible, and a ball of flames appeared, alluring and yet dangerous. "They'll let you out."

Mikan gasped and leapt forward, grabbing his hand with hers and nullifying the flame. "Don't do that!" she whispered through clenched teeth. "Don't use your damn alice for no reason, you show-off." She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You promised."

Defeated, she groaned. "Fine, then," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'll win you a giant stuffed duck and make you sleep with it, just to humiliate you." She glared down at him. "But for now, you focus on getting better."

"Deal."

* * *

"Mikan, this is so much fun!"

"Anna, we haven't even gone on any rides," Hotaru said dryly.

"It's still so much fun!" Anna rejoiced.

"We just walked through the entrance," Hotaru continued.

"You're no fun, Hotaru!"

Mikan stared in wonder at the rides around her. Roller coasters, swings, and every other ride imaginable. There were game places for prizes, concessions, and it was crowded, despite the hour being almost seven o'clock.

The park was open until midnight.

"Well," Sumire said, eyeing the roller coaster named 'The Ring of Fire' warily, "let's go."

"Nobody let me forget that I have to win Natsume a giant duck," Mikan announced. "I want to humiliate him." She began skipping off towards the center of the park, a happy smile on her face as she attempted to do what Natsume asked and forget what position he was in.

"I'd be kind of creeped out to see a bunch of men dressed in black suits with sunglasses on hanging out around here," Nonoko said uneasily as she looked around at the guards stationed randomly amongst the park. "If Reo's out of the way, what's the point in protecting us?"

"We're special," Anna said.

"I vote we go on the Ferris Wheel first." Sumire pointed at the huge ride. "Then we can see what to take after that."

Hotaru shrugged. "Whatever."

The Ferris Wheel line wasn't very long. They were on within five minutes, Sumire, Anna, and Nonoko on one chair and Mikan and Hotaru on the other.

"We're supposed to have fun, Hotaru," Mikan urged, elbowing her best friend in the ribs gently. "Lighten up a little." She smiled. "I'm willing to go on all the scary rides with you."

Hotaru's smile was faint, but amused. "We should have a contest."

"What's the contest?" Mikan challenged excitedly.

"Whoever throws up the most wins."

Mikan laughed. "You never throw up! I can totally win!"

"You've never been to an amusement park with me before."

"That's true."

Mikan looked around. The light was fading as night climbed closer, and the lights around the park were turning on, illuminating everything that the light from the sun didn't touch. It was a fairly big park, therefore meaning that there would be quite a few scary rides.

"How about that one?" Mikan pointed to a ride not far off, the one that they had seen when they first entered the amusement park. "The Ring of Fire. It looks like it could be pretty scary."

The Ring of Fire was a roller coaster, but it wasn't one that just went on a track all over the place, up and down and around and around. No, it was one that simply went in circles. It rocked back and forth until it gained enough speed, and then it would continue like that until it could go all the way around. Sometimes it would stop upside down on the top of the circle, and then it would rock back down and hang upside down the other way.

Hotaru nodded. "Alright," she agreed. "It's on."

Mikan turned around in her seat so she could see Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire. They were all talking and laughing, pointing at the different attractions. "Hey! We're going on The Ring of Fire next!"

"Ha! You wish!" Nonoko called back. "I'm not going on that!"

"Me either!" Anna agreed.

"I will!" Sumire volunteered. "It doesn't look _too _bad."

That was an understatement.

The line for The Ring of Fire wasn't particularly long, but it took a good ten minutes before the three brave girls were climbing on. There were three seats next to each other. Mikan sat in the middle with Hotaru on her left and Sumire on her right.

The ride began.

It hadn't even gotten all the way to the top when Mikan was screaming, using her hands on the padded bars that acted as a roof to give herself support as her body lifted off of the seat and her shoulders pressed against the device holding her down. She was laughing and screaming at the same time, already beginning to feel sick.

A string of curses was flying from Hotaru's mouth, and she was actually screaming, too. Sumire was simply yelling at the man controlling the ride to stop, but of course, he couldn't hear her.

The coaster stopped at the top of the circle.

"Oh, God," Mikan muttered.

It began to slide back down, and then back up, and then finally it began to slow.

Mikan stumbled off on weak legs, her hand resting on her stomach. She was sure she must have lost some color, but she was still laughing. She had been ready to throw up on the ride, and now she was looking for the garbage can.

Hotaru was already running over to it.

When they finished, they looked at each other and then burst out laughing.

"I think I have enough food in me to throw up one more time before I have to eat more," Mikan said.

Hotaru patted her stomach. "Me too."

Sumire and Anna and Nonoko joined them, Anna and Nonoko practically dying from laughter.

"I'm glad I haven't eaten anything since breakfast," Sumire said weakly.

The night went on like that. They stayed at the amusement park until it closed. After Mikan and Hotaru had had enough upchucking, they headed over to the game area and began using the money the school had given them to win some prizes.

They were looking for a decent game to play when they realized a couple of guys following them. Hotaru shot them a warning look, but it didn't phase them, and they tried to seduce them.

"Hey, kitties," one of them said in a rough voice. "What do you say to having some fun at my house?"

Anna snorted. "You look like you live in a barn."

The man who had spoken ignored her. "Come on. You know it will be fun."

Mikan pointed her chin into the air stubbornly. "I'm taken, thank you very much. And if he finds out who you are, you'd better hope you're not in the country anymore." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Careful," Sumire warned the two boys. She jabbed her thumb at Hotaru. "She might blow your head off."

They were within arms reach now, and the one who had been doing the talking reached out and grabbed Mikan's ass, without hesitation.

Mikan yelped and leapt forward. Then, her eyes narrowed, she turned around and wailed the guy right in the kisser. That was the last they saw of them.

And, as they had been told, Mikan and Hotaru began to forget about the incident at the school and have fun.

* * *

Mikan and Hotaru walked side by side down the hall, towards the Alice Hospital. Mikan was carrying a giant stuffed duck, as promised, and Hotaru was carrying a giant stuffed cow.

There were only a few nurses up, but the ones who saw them didn't stop them, but told them that both Natsume and Ruka were being stubborn and refused to sleep. Apparently, Natsume threatened to burn someone if they even dared to try to sedate him.

Mikan peeked into the room and saw Natsume's eyes were closed. There was a curtain dividing the beds now, so Hotaru had to walk in and peek around the curtain. Then, she disappeared behind it, leaving Mikan somewhat alone with Natsume.

She bit her lip as she tip toed over to his bed and sat down silently in the chair she had been in earlier. She stared at his handsome face in silence, trying to see over the giant stuffed duck.

"Just admit you had fun."

His voice surprised her, and she jumped. Unfortunately, when she landed again, she missed the chair and ended up on the ground. She groaned and pinched her eyes shut. "Don't scare me like that!" she scolded, rubbing her tailbone as she got back to her feet, still holding the duck. "Jeez."

His eyes opened up into slits and he chuckled, instantly wincing.

She flopped back down on the chair. "I told you I was going to get you a duck." She held it up. "This thing's almost bigger than me."

"You had fun," he guessed.

Mikan frowned. "I threw up six times because I had a contest with Hotaru," she said, shuddering at the memory of the taste in her mouth. "And in the end, we tied." She patted her stomach with her free hand. "We threw up twice first, and then ate, and then threw up some more, and then ate, and then threw up some more. I don't think I have any food left in me."

"How many guys tried to seduce you?"

Mikan shrugged. "Only two, and they were both together." She glared at the wall with a surge of hate when she remembered the man's face. "One of them grabbed my ass," she spat. "It was the most unpleasant thing I've ever experienced."

Instead of being mad, Natsume smirked. "What did you say to him?"

"Before he grabbed it, I told him I was taken, and that if he, meaning you, found out who he was, he'd better hope he wasn't in the country." She smiled before she spoke again. "But as soon as he grabbed it, I turned around and nailed him right in the face."

"Even better."

She smiled and stood up. "Now, like I said, you have to sleep with this duck." She placed it gently on top of him. "If it isn't there when I get back in the morning, I'm seriously going to kill you."

"Why don't you just sleep here?"

"Tempting as that offer is, I'm a wild sleeper, and I'd probably end up knocking your IV pole over, or rolling under the bed and strangling myself with some cord as well as disconnecting the cord from you." She brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes. "I'll come back as soon as I get up."

"I didn't mean sleep on the floor," he said, rolling his eyes. "Sleep on the bed."

Mikan pursed her lips, and then shook her head. "That's not much better. That's actually probably worse."

He closed his eyes, the corners of his lips still pointed up in a weak smile. "You must miss me when you're sleeping alone or something, because you don't squirm at all when you sleep with me."

She looked offended. "Liar."

"I'm not."

She glared at him. "I'm sleeping in my own bed."

He opened his eyes again. "I'm not asking you."

After a moment of staring at his vulnerable state, she huffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine," she said finally. "I'll go get ready for bed and then I'll come back. I'm not going to enjoy walking through the hallway in my pajamas."

"Don't take your time."

Mikan turned and walked over to the curtain. She poked her head in and smiled warmly at the sight of Hotaru using her arms as a makeshift pillow on the bed as she sat in the chair similar to the one Mikan had been in. She was looking up at Ruka with tired eyes as they spoke quietly.

"Hotaru," Mikan whispered. "Come get ready for bed."

Ruka's eyes shifted to her, and then back to Hotaru. "You need sleep," he agreed.

"Natsume's making me sleep with him," Mikan said. "You should make her sleep with you, too." She smiled at the look Hotaru gave her as she stood up.

"That's not a bad idea," Ruka said with a light laugh.

Hotaru stared at him, then at Mikan, expressionless. "Fine," she said, walking over to Mikan. "Maybe I'll accidentally pull your IV cord out and make you die." It was obvious that she was kidding.

Mikan and Hotaru walked together until Mikan got to her room, and then Hotaru parted.

In her room, Mikan had a quick shower, got into her pajamas, brushed her teeth, and pondered if she should actually go back down. At one point, she had herself convinced that she should just stay up and make Natsume suck it up, but then an image of the straight line across his heart monitor came flashing back and she basically bolted out of the room.

Hotaru was already walking down the hallway towards Mikan's room, clad in a pair of dark blue silk pajama pants and a dark blue tank top, her short hair already dry. She had probably blow dried it, for it was clear from the 'Sea Island Cotton' scent radiating off of her skin that she had had a shower.

Mikan was simply in a pair of short orange pajama shorts and an orange tank top to match. Her long hair was still wet, and it clung to her arms and neck.

They walked in silence back to the Alice Hospital, Mikan shivering in the cold night as they switched buildings. Hotaru didn't seem bothered, and Mikan guessed that it had something to do with her dry hair.

When they got to the room, Hotaru disappeared behind the curtain and Mikan headed over to Natsume's bed. She stared down at his position on the bed, trying to figure out a way to make it work.

"I don't get it," she admitted. "How is this supposed to work?"

Natsume's eyes remained closed, but he smiled. "I was expecting you to stay in your room."

"I thought about it, but I felt sorry for you." She smiled. "It can only be so great being stuck in a bed all day."

He lifted the duck off of him and handed it to her. "Hold it." She took it, and he struggled to turn onto his side with his back pressed against the wall. She winced as she watched him, her free hand fluttering helplessly above his body.

He let out a sigh of relief when he made himself comfortable, and then he patted the empty space on the bed beside him. Mikan's sigh was more of one that meant 'I can't believe this', and she slipped her flip-flops off. She put the duck down first, and then she carefully laid down beside him, facing him, on top of the blankets. The duck, being extremely soft and squishy, didn't create much of an obstacle. It was squashed flat between them.

The bed was warm where he had been lying, but the sheets were free of bloodstains. She knew she didn't need the blankets to keep her warm. His alice, whether he was trying to use it or not, would keep her warm. His body was naturally warm, from his alice, of course.

He lifted his outside arm slowly and painfully and draped it loosely over her. The other arm found its way under the duck and under her hip. He pulled her carefully into him, and she buried her face in the front of his shirt.

"This is my fault," she muttered, fighting her tears.

"Shut up."

"My damn alice," she went on. "If I didn't have such a rare alice, this would have never happened."

"Wrong." He pushed a strand of hair off of her neck. "Reo didn't want just you and the rest of your crazy friends. He wanted to bring the school down, and you five would just be a bonus. So shut up before I burn you." He sighed when he felt her shoulders still shaking. "Reo's dead."

She would have held him tighter had she not been afraid to hurt him. "I know," she whispered. "But you might as well be. Look at you! You're a mess."

"Everything is going to be fine now," he assured her. "No more AAO, no more missions. Polka-dots, we're graduating in a month and a half. We have one last concert as part of this school on the last day. Nothing is going to go wrong."

"Why are they letting you go?" she asked. "I didn't think they'd let you, because of your 'dangerous ability'." She snorted. "It's only as dangerous as the person wielding it."

"They can't stop me from leaving." He rested his chin on the top of her head. "Narumi thinks you're enough to keep me in line." The smile was in his voice. "Don't you agree?"

She clung to the front of his shirt. "Then you're not going to leave me?"

"No."

She smiled one last time before drifting into sleep.

* * *

Mikan never knew planning a concert could be so painful. Along with studying for her next exam, she had gotten a total of eight hours of sleep over the course of four days – that was two hours each night.

With Natsume and Ruka in the hospital, it was difficult to plan, but Hotaru and Mikan would always give them updates, get them to sign things, and then tell them they better get their sorry butts better so they could practice.

With the day of the concert climbing closer, both bands were busy.

They couldn't even begin to guess that that day was going to be the best of their lives.

* * *

A/N: This chapter is, like, really short compared to thelast few, but i need to save eveything else for the next chapter. I'm sorry to all of you who are enjoying this story, but thenext chapter might be the last, or the second last. Hehe.

Back to school tomorrow (eww), so the updates are going to be a little longer. Badminton starts on Tuesday, but if I make the team, i probably won't be busy with it, seeing as there are no games, just practices and a tournament.

I hate how i have different sized feet. I just bought apair of flats ( i love them!) and one fits perfectly but the other is too small. Hehe.

Anyway, I'll try to make the next chapter better and longer. By the way, I got the ride 'The Ring of Fire' from Westerner Days in Red Deer. Me and my friend went with my sister and her friend, and I was the one yelling at the guy to stop the ride, myfriend was jus screaming, and my sister and her friend were swearing. The ride wasnt even working properly when we went on it, so it didn't go in the full circle, and i can't even begin to say how glad i am. haha. I'm also glad i decided not to eat that day.

xoxo  
Ducky-san


	12. Chapter 12 Come What May

No, unfortunately I don't own Gakuen Alice.

I don't own the songs either.

The Great Escape belongs to Boys Like Girls

Crushcrushcrush belongs to Paramore

Tongue Tied belongs to Faber Drive

Untouched belongs to The Veronicas

Come What May is SUNG by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor from the movie Moulin Rouge

One in a Million belongs to SANDY MOLLING not HANNAH MONTANA! This was not Miley's version.

* * *

Mikan paced back and forth in the spacious dressing room, trying to decide what her plan of action for the concert was…the concert that would begin in less than four hours

Mikan paced back and forth in the spacious dressing room, trying to decide what her plan of action for the concert was…the concert that would begin in less than four hours.

She didn't have her costume, though she wouldn't be horribly surprised if Natsume picked that out for her. She didn't have her songs in order. She didn't know the setup of the stage. She _needed _to find out where Hotaru had had the speakers placed, so that she wouldn't blow her ears off.

The dark dressing room was the only place that wasn't overly loud and busy. She felt a migraine coming on, hence the reason the lights were off, and she felt sick.

Hotaru was making her suspicious. It was hard to explain, but she was acting different.

A knock on the door made her stop all of her movements and stare at the crack under the oak. Her eyes narrowed at the shadows cast into the room by the mysterious person on the other side. Why couldn't people just leave her alone?

She tore the door open and squinted into the light.

Speak of the devil.

"We need to practice." Hotaru stared at her, their eyes level. "You're probably going to screw up on the third song if we don't." She turned on her heel. "Hyuuga had the courtesy of picking out our costumes, since you were too busy lollygaging in the dressing rooms, and I arranged your songs. We'll practice them in order."

Mikan jogged after her to keep up with her fast walk. "Why do you keep thinking I'm going to mess up?" she demanded. "What did I ever do to you?" She frowned. "Which song is the third one?"

"One in a Million," Hotaru replied. "And if we don't practice, you're definitely going to screw up." Her tone held a sincere promise. "Don't question it. Just wait. For now, we're going to practice."

Mikan's eyes narrowed. "Fine."

* * *

"The students from both elementary, middle school, and high school are to the right of the stadium," Ruka explained to the girls. "They take up almost half, so our earnings from this are down quite a bit, since we didn't charge the school."

Ruka and Natsume, though forever scarred, had healed drastically. All injuries that they had suffered only a month and a half before had faded, leaving only the scars, but nothing that couldn't be disguised. In time, the scars would disappear, along with the unwanted memory.

Mikan sighed and pushed her bangs off of her head. "I can't believe this is the last day of school," she said breathlessly. "We're graduating…"

"Technically it's not the last day," Hotaru reminded her. "We graduate tomorrow."

Anna jumped up excitedly. "My mom, whom I'm dying to see, has a job in a bakery for me!" she announced.

Natsume rolled his eyes. "Girls are unbelievable."

That earned a slap on the arm from Mikan, who was standing beside him.

"Shouldn't you be excited to go home, too?" she asked, looking up at him, a frown marring her features. "You strike me as a person that would have _a lot _of money, lots of cars, a huge room, and someone that would throw lots of parties."

Hotaru interrupted before he could reply. "Costumes," she reminded them.

"Oh, right," Ruka said, walking over to a small pile of boxes. "We have everything picked out. Hotaru and I picked a theme, and then ordered outfits to match the theme." He picked up the box on top of the pile and read the label. "This one is Nonoko's."

Nonoko squealed excitedly and snatched the box, but she didn't make a move to open it.

One by one, Ruka handed out the boxes.

Mikan took a deep breath and then met the eyes of the people surrounding her. "Well, let's see what Hotaru and Ruka picked out." With a shrug, she tore the lid off the box and stared with unbelieving eyes down at the outfit folded neatly into its white home.

She gasped in wonder and flopped down on the ground, placing the box on her lap and pulling its contents out gingerly.

The snow-white halter dress danced in her widened eyes. She held it against the front of her body, spinning around once. "Hotaru, Ruka, this is _beautiful_!" she breathed.

"Everyone, before you open your box, go to a dressing room and put it on," Hotaru ordered stoically, giving Mikan a stern look. "You have ten minutes to figure out where everything goes, and then we meet back here and we'll go over the songs once more."

* * *

Mikan walked out of the dressing room with a huge smile on her face. The dress, the one that she had instantly fallen in love with, looked even better when it was on her.

The entire top half hugged her body, and the collar dipped low into a 'V' shape, though not revealing anything disturbing. The material clung to her chest, her waist, her hips. As soon as the material reached her hips, the tightness ended and it flared out, draping around her legs and ending at her knees. The outfit was complete with a white hair band and a pair of white flats.

When she got out of the hall, she realized she was the last one finished changing, besides Natsume.

All the guys, not including Natsume – Ruka, Tsubasa, and Koko – were wearing simple tuxedos, nothing exceedingly standout-ish. A white shirt underneath, black coat over top, and a different tie for each.

The girls were extravagant.

Every dress was unique and beautiful, though there was something, something that Mikan couldn't quite place, that all of them reminded her of.

Hotaru's was a strapless, violet dress, tight around the upper body – like Mikan's – and flaring out to the knees. Hers, however, had folds in the fabric around her legs, only in a single part of the dress, over her left leg. It was complete with simple heels, the same shade as her dress.

Anna's was also strapless, though hers was pink. It was tight around the breast and just beneath, where a ribbon tied around ended the tightness. It was layered at the hem, and the material was soft and flowing. Her long hair was tied up into a high ponytail and her shoes were strapless heels.

Nonoko was clad in a dark blue dress with thick straps. It was a V-neck, like Mikan's, but hers had a tight ribbon with a bow around the waist. The rest flared out, and a mesh veil was over top of the silk on the loose part of the dress. Her shoes were wedges, with dark blue straps wrapping up her ankle.

Sumire's was green, two different shades. The top was a lighter color, its straps sliding over her slim shoulders. The silky bottom of the dress flared out, as they all did, but was a darker shade of a green, a shade that matched her simple heeled sandals.

Mikan couldn't believe their beauty, could barely tear her eyes away from them.

"Ruka."

The voice that came from behind her, however, gave her no choice.

She swung around, and Natsume walked right by her, towards Ruka, holding something in his hand. She turned back around slowly, following him with her eyes. She watched as he spoke quietly to his best friend, and as Ruka fastened something onto his overcoat.

He turned around, and she saw that the object was the head of a rose.

Hotaru smiled when all she saw in Mikan's eyes was wonder, and not understanding.

This night was going to be interesting.

As usual, Mr. Narumi announced the theme of the night, as well as the first band and first song. The White Tigers would be going first, singing a new song, one that Mikan hadn't heard before.

The Great Escape.

She liked the sound of it already, and they hadn't even started their instruments yet.

**(Natsume) **_Paper bags and plastic hearts.  
All our belongings in shopping carts.  
_**(Ruka) **_It's goodbye.  
_**(Natsume) **_But we got one more night.  
Let's get drunk and ride around.  
And make peace with an empty town.  
_**(Ruka) **_We can make it right._**(Natsume) **_Throw it away.  
_**(Ruka) **_Forget yesterday.  
_**(Natsume) **_We'll make the great escape.  
We won't hear a word they say.  
_**(Ruka) **_They don't know us anyway  
_**(Natsume) **_Watch it burn  
Let it die.  
Cause we are finally free tonight._**(Ruka) **_But we'll cry  
_**(Natsume) **_We won't give up the fight  
We'll scream loud at the top of our lungs  
And they'll think it's just cause we're young.  
_**(Ruka) **_And we'll feel so alive_**(Natsume) **_Throw it away.  
_**(Ruka) **_Forget yesterday.  
_**(Natsume) **_We'll make the great escape.  
We won't hear a word they say.  
_**(Ruka) **_They don't know us anyway  
_**(Natsume) **_Watch it burn  
Let it die.  
Cause we are finally free tonight._**(Natsume) **_Throw it away.  
_**(Ruka) **_Forget yesterday.  
_**(Natsume) **_We'll make the great escape.  
We won't hear a word they say.  
_**(Ruka) **_They don't know us anyway  
_**(Natsume) **_Watch it burn  
Let it die.  
Cause we are finally free tonight._**(Natsume) **_Throw it away.  
_**(Ruka) **_Forget yesterday.  
_**(Natsume) **_We'll make the great escape.  
We won't hear a word they say.  
_**(Ruka) **_They don't know us anyway_**(Natsume) **_Throw it away.  
_**(Ruka) **_Forget yesterday.  
_**(Natsume) **_We'll make the great escape.  
We won't hear a word they say.  
_**(Ruka) **_They don't know us anyway  
_**(Natsume) **_Watch it burn  
Let it die.  
Cause we are finally free tonight._

Tonight will change our lives.  
It's so good to be by your side.

All of the wasted time  
The hours that were left behind  
The answers that we'll never find  
They don't mean a thing tonight.

That definitely sounded like a song suited for the day before graduation.

Mikan sighed at the lingering sound of his voice in his ears, so melodic and perfect. She dreamy look disappeared when she realized just _how _perfect he was, so perfect that she felt unbelievably small beside him.

Mikan led the way onto the stage, stopping when Natsume stopped in front of her. "I need you on the stage, remember?" she shouted over the noise. "I need you for, like, two parts. You and Ruka."

He rolled his eyes and turned back to the stage.

She spat her tongue out childishly after him.

Hotaru nudged her forward and she walked across the stage and took her spot at the front, by the mic. She scanned the crowd once, smiling when she saw the part where her school was, and then she looked over her shoulder at her band.

Natsume and Ruka were by Nonoko, who was on the drums.

Nonoko started off.

**(Mikan) **_I got a lot to say to you  
Yeah, I got a lot to say.  
I noticed your eyes are always glued to me.  
Keeping them here  
And it makes no sense at all._**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_They taped over your mouth  
_**(Mikan) **_Scribbled out the truth with their lies  
You little spies  
_**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_They taped over your mouth  
_**(Mikan) **_Scribbled out the truth with their lies  
You little spies_**(Anna, Nonoko, Sumire) **_Crush  
Crush  
Crush  
Crush, crush  
_**(Ruka and Natsume) **_One, two, three, four!_**(Mikan) **_Nothing compares to a quiet evening alone  
Just the one, two _

**(Hotaru) **_I was just counting on  
_**(Mikan) **_That never happens  
_**(Hotaru) **_I guess I'm dreaming again  
_**(Mikan) **_Let's be more than this_

If you want to play it like a game  
Well, come on, come on, let's play.  
'Cause I'd rather waste my life pretending.  
Than have to forget you for one whole minute.

**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_They taped over your mouth  
_**(Mikan) **_Scribbled out the truth with their lies  
You little spies  
_**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_They taped over your mouth  
_**(Mikan) **_Scribbled out the truth with their lies  
You little spies_**(Anna, Nonoko, Sumire) **_Crush  
Crush  
Crush  
Crush, crush  
_**(Ruka and Natsume) **_One, two, three, four!_

_  
_**(Mikan) **_Nothing compares to a quiet evening alone  
Just the one, two _

**(Hotaru) **_I was just counting on  
_**(Mikan) **_That never happens  
_**(Hotaru) **_I guess I'm dreaming again  
_**(Mikan) **_Let's be more than this now_

Rock and roll, baby  
Don't you know that we're all alone now?  
I need something to sing about.  
Rock and roll.

**(Ruka and Natsume) **_Hey!  
_**(Mikan) **_Don't you know, baby, we're all alone now?  
I need something to sing about.  
Rock and roll. _

**(Ruka and Natsume) **_Hey  
_**(Mikan) **_Don't you know, baby, we're all alone now?  
Give me something to sing about_**(Mikan) **_Nothing compares to a quiet evening alone  
Just the one, two _

**(Hotaru) **_I was just counting on  
_**(Mikan) **_That never happens  
_**(Hotaru) **_I guess I'm dreaming again  
_**(Mikan) **_Let's be more than.  
No, oh_

**(Mikan) **_Nothing compares to a quiet evening alone  
Just the one, two _

**(Hotaru) **_I was just counting on  
_**(Mikan) **_That never happens  
_**(Hotaru) **_I guess I'm dreaming again  
_**(Mikan) **_Let's be more than_

_More than this  
Ohoh ohoh ohoh_

Twirling around in her white dress, she earned a deafening cheer from the crowd, and then she pranced back off the stage. Natsume followed her briefly, until they were out of sight, and then caught her arm and leaned down and pressed his lips against her ear.

"You look beautiful."

Her face flushed a million different shades of red and she turned around, watching him as he marched his way back onto the stage.

Frowning, she crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring the giggled from Anna and Nonoko. Instead, she listened to his voice.

**(Natsume) **_Bright, cold silver moon  
Tonight alone in my room  
You were here just yesterday  
Slight turn of the head  
Eyes down when you said  
'I guess I need my life to change'.  
Seems like something just aren't the same  
What could I say?_**(Natsume and Ruka) **_I need a little more luck than a little bit  
Cuz every time I get stuck the words won't fit  
And every time that I try I get tongue tied.  
I'll need a little good luck to get me by._**(Natsume) **_I stare up at the stars  
I wonder just where you are  
You feel a million miles away  
_**(Ruka)**_ I wonder just where you are  
_**(Natsume) **_Was it something I said?  
Or something I never did?  
Or was I always in the way?_

I need a little more help than a little bit.  
Like the perfect one word no one's heard yet.  
Cuz every time that I try I get tongue-tied.  
I need a little good luck to get me by this time.

**(Ruka) **_Was it something I did?  
_**(Natsume) **_Could someone tell me what to say to just make you stay?_**(Natsume and Ruka) **_I need a little more luck than a little bit  
Cuz every time I get stuck the words won't fit  
And every time that I try I get tongue tied.  
I'll need a little good luck to get me by._**(Natsume) **_I need a little more luck than a little bit  
Cuz every time I get stuck the words won't fit  
But every time that I try I get tongue tied  
I need a little good luck to get me by._**(Natsume and Ruka) **_I need a little more help than a little bit  
Like the perfect one word no one's heard yet  
Cuz every time that I try I get tongue tied.  
I need a little good luck to get me by this time._**(Natsume) **_I know it feels like the end  
Don't want to be here again  
And we could help each other off the ground so we never fall down again.  
What it takes I don't care  
We're gonna make it I swear  
And we could help each other off the ground so we never fall down again_.

I need a little more help than a little bit.  
Like the perfect one word no one's heard yet.  
Cuz every time that I try I get tongue-tied.  
I need a little good luck to get me by this time.

I know it feels like the end  
Don't want to be here again  
And we could help each other off the ground so we never fall down again.  
What it takes I don't care  
We're gonna make it I swear.  
And we could help each other off the ground so we never fall down again.  
Again

Mikan's mouth fell open. No matter how many times she heard their music, his voice, it would never cease to amaze her to no end. How could someone like him sing music with such meaning to it, such love?

Sumire elbowed her in the ribs.

Mikan hadn't noticed she was there.

"Get a move on, star," she said with a smile. "We're on."

They went through the process of arranging the equipment, Mikan completely ignoring Natsume as he walked by her. She knew he was smirking, even if she hadn't seen it on his smug, overly-handsome face.

She adjusted the height of the microphone stand, ignoring stares from the men below her.

**(Mikan) **_I go ooh ooh, _

**(Hotaru) **_You go ah ah  
_**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_lalalalalalalala_**(Mikan) **_I wanna, wanna, wanna get, ge,t get what I want.  
_**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_Don't stop  
_**(Mikan) **_Give me give me give me what you got got  
Cause I can't wait, wait, wait, any more _

**(Hotaru and Mikan) **_more, more, more  
_**(Mikan) **_Don't even talk about the consequence  
Cause right now you're the only thing that's making any sense to me.  
And I don't give a damn what they say, what they think, think.  
Cause you're the only one who's on my mind.  
I'll never ever let you leave me  
I'll try to stop time for ever, never wanna hear you say goodbye _

**(Hotaru) **_Bye, bye, bye._**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_I feel so untouched  
And I want you so much.  
That I just can't resist you.  
It's not enough to say that I miss you.  
I feel so untouched right now.  
Need you so much somehow.  
I can't forget you.  
_**(Mikan) **_I've gone crazy from the moment I met you._**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_Untouched  
_**(Mikan) **_And I need you so much._**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_Alalalala alalalala  
You can take, take, take, take, take, time, time.  
To live live the way you gotta gotta live your life.  
_**(Mikan) **_Give me give me give me all of you, you  
Don't be scared.  
I'll see you through the loneliness of one mor,e more, more  
Don't even think about what's right or wrong, wrong or right.  
'Cause in the end it's only you and me and no one else is gonna be around  
To answer all the questions left behind.  
And you and I are meant to be so even if the world falls down today.  
You've still got me to hold you up, up.  
_**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_And I will never let you down (down)_**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_I feel so untouched  
And I want you so much.  
That I just can't resist you.  
It's not enough to say that I miss you.  
I feel so untouched right now.  
Need you so much somehow.  
I can't forget you.  
_**(Mikan) **_I've gone crazy from the moment I met you._**(Anna, Nonoko, Sumire)**_Untouched,_

See you, breathe you, I want to be you.

_Untouched, _

_Untouched, _

_Untouched, _

_Untouched  
_**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_Alalalala alalalala  
Untouched  
Alalalala alalalala_**(Mikan) **_I feel so untouched  
And I want you so much  
That I just can't resist you.  
It's not enough to say that I miss you  
_**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_I feel so untouched right now.  
Need you so much somehow  
I can't forget you.  
_**(Mikan) **_I've gone crazy from the moment I met you._**(Mikan and Hotaru) **_I feel so untouched  
And I want you so much  
That I just can't resist you  
It's not enough to say that I miss you  
I feel so untouched right now  
Need you so much somehow  
I can't forget you  
_**(Mikan) **_I've gone crazy from the moment I met you._**(Anna, Nonoko, Sumire) **_Untouched, untouched, untouched_

She was expecting it when Natsume came to join her on the stage for their next song. She had been expecting him to have that little smirk on his face after having listened to the words of her previous song.

He was being dirty.

"Untouched?" He raised an eyebrow in amusement.

She glared at him.

"I can change that for you," he went on, standing by the second mic stand.

"Pervert."

He stopped and looked at her sincerely before walking over to her, bending over, and planting a genuine kiss on her forehead. "Loosen up," he advised. "I'm joking." He flicked her nose, making her glare at him once again, but he chuckled, and the glare disappeared.

**(Natsume) **_Never knew I could feel like this.  
Like I've never seen the sky before.  
Want to vanish inside your kiss.  
Every day I love you more and more.  
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sings?  
Telling me to give you everything.  
Seasons may change, winter to spring.  
But I love you until the end of time._

Come what may.  
Come what may.  
I will love you until my dying day.

He turned to face her and seized her free hand in his, looking down at her with such full eyes that she felt her heart splutter, fail, and then restart again, but she sang, her eyes big.**(Mikan) **_Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place.  
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace.  
_**(Mikan and Natsume) **_Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste.  
_**(Mikan) **_It all revolves around you  
_**(Mikan and Natsume) **_And there's no mountain too high  
No river too wide.  
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side.  
Storm clouds may gather.  
And stars may collide.  
_**(Natsume) **_But I love you _

**(Mikan) **_I love you_

**(Natsume) **_Until the end _

**(Mikan) **_Until the end_

**(Mikan and Natsume) **_Of time…  
_

_Come what may  
Come what may  
I will love you until my dying day_

Oh, come what may, come what may  
I will love you

**(Mikan) **_I will love you  
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place_**(Mikan and Natsume) **_Come what may  
Come what may  
I will love you until my dying day  
_

Natsume glanced over at Ruka, who smiled with encouragement and nodded, and then he looked back and Mikan, who had followed his gaze but didn't understand the meaning of it.

It was the first time she had ever seen any hesitation with such meaning in his eyes, and she watched carefully as he drew his hand from hers only to return the microphone to its stand. Then, he grabbed both of her small hands in one of his big ones, and reached into his pocket with the other.

In that position, he fell to his knee in front of her and pulled something out of his pocket.

Understanding crashed down on her.

The screams from the crowd came mostly from the side of the stadium that the occupants of Alice Academy were stationed on.

Her eyes were still wide, her hair falling over her shoulders and to her waist in a beautiful disarray. Tears welled behind her eyelids, and he watched as she blinked them away furiously.

Mikan stared in amazement as Natsume released her hands and opened the little velvet box slowly, revealing to her a beautiful, fair-sized diamond mounted on a golden band.

The crowd fell silent in respect for the special moment.

"Mikan, will you marry me?"

She couldn't speak. She could only stare into his eyes with such shock that it must have looked ridiculous. But his sincere look did not leave, and his eyes did not leave hers, and she realized that he was serious.

The tears spilling over, she nodded.

A cheer so wild that she was surprised it didn't break any glass.

Natsume smiled up at her, a smile that was so charming, so _real_, that her heart fluttered and her stomach did a summersault.

He pulled the ring out of the case, grabbed her hand gently, and slipped it onto her finger before snapping the case shut, slipping it back into his pocket, and standing up, taking her other hand in his other hand.

He leaned down, and she stood on her tiptoes to reach his lips, tilting her head to the side.

Mikan Sakura went to Alice Academy as a rebellious girl. She made instant enemies with Natsume Hyuuga, a relationship that soon faded into something much better. Opposite or not, they were in love. Though she never expected herself to end up marrying right out of high school, she no longer cared.

Natsume was hers.

She wouldn't lose him now.

Mr. Narumi stepped in front of them and grabbed the microphone off the stand, a huge smile gracing his features. "We'll be taking a brief intermission to give both bands a rest. Thank you all for your respect during that special moment."

More cheers.

Mikan's face flushed, she let Natsume lead her off the stage, her hand in his.

Backstage, Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire tackled her, squealing excitedly.

Hotaru stood off to the side, leaning against Ruka, a smile on her thin lips.

Mikan walked over to her once she was free and wrapped her arms around her. "The theme…" she said, fighting her tears. "You did this." The smile was in her voice. "You made our costumes represent the bride and groom."

"Yes, now get off of me. You're sweaty."

Mikan laughed and pulled away before prancing back over to Natsume and planting a kiss on his cheek. "I love you," she said. "You have no idea."

"Oh, I think I do." He snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her in.

* * *

Mikan eyed the food on the long table with her finger on her chin thoughtfully. It was odd that she, though she had been engaged first, was at the reception of _Hotaru's _wedding, wearing only an engagement ring.

School had ended three months before.

They were free.

_How did I get here?  
I turned around and there you were.  
Didn't think twice or rationalize  
'Cause somehow I knew  
That there was more that just chemistry.  
I mean I knew you were kind of into me,  
But I figured it's too good to be true._

Natsume had used his parents' fortune to buy a house, nothing small, nothing big, on a very normal street. They acted like normal people, though still doing concerts, signing autographs, and seeing themselves on TV.

Their own wedding was in two months, in Ireland.

Why Ireland? Why not some place hot, like Hawaii, as Hotaru's was?

_I said pinch me, where's the catch this time?  
Can't find a single cloud in the sky.  
Help me before I get use to this guy._

Mikan had wanted something clean, beautiful, and real.

In two months, Hotaru would be the Maid of Honor, just as Mikan was now. Soon, they would both be happily married, something neither of them had ever dreamed of. It was odd, yes, to realize how fast things could change.

_They say that good things take time  
But really great things happen in the blink of an eye.  
Thought the chances to meet somebody like you were a million to one  
Can't believe it.  
You're one in a million._

She picked up a plate, looked over her shoulder, smiled at Natsume, though he didn't see her, for he was busy chatting with Ruka, Tsubasa, Koko, and others. What made her smile was _his _smile, the one that she loved.

Filling her plate, she walked back to the table and took a seat beside her friends, beside her fiancé.

How was it that someone like Mikan Sakura, who had started out on a mission to find her best friend, could find such a life? Despite the sadness, despite the obstacles, she had found that light.

_All this time I was looking for love  
Tryin' to make things work that weren't good enough  
Till I thought I'm through, said I'm done  
Then stumbled into the arms of the one._

Even when she was at her lowest, on the verge of letting go of everything she had ever believed in, she held on. Even when she had stumbled one too many times without that light, she had always found steady ground, and arms to hold her, whether they belonged to her friends or Natsume. Even when she had decided not to go on, had found herself lying down for good, she had gotten back up.

She had worked her way to the top.

_You're making me laugh about the silliest stuff  
Say that I'm your diamond in the rough.  
When I'm mad at you, you pull out your velvet gloves._

Mikan laughed as Hotaru and Ruka stared each other down, each having their own argument, though no one knew quite what it was. Natsume touched her hand, and she seized it, turning to meet his gaze.

_I feel drunk but I am sober  
And I'm smiling all over.  
Every time I see that sparkle in your eyes._

This was going to be them someday.

_They say that good things take time  
But really great things happen in the blink of an eye.  
Thought the chances to meet somebody like you were a million to one  
Can't believe it.  
You're one in a million._

She had found her perfect match, and there was not a single part of her that wished to deny it. There was not a single cell in her body that wasn't happy with what she had become.

_All this time I was looking for love  
Tryin' to make things work that weren't good enough  
Till I thought I'm through, said I'm done  
Then stumbled into the arms of the one._

Scarred from her struggles, her fight as the angels crossed the tigers, she found her happy ending.

* * *

A/N: Wow. WOW. I'm done. Hehe. I think a lot of you were suspecting that ending, weren't you? :P Thank you SOOO much to all of my reviewers, whom I love to death. If any of you have read 'My Hopeless Romance''s 'The Devil's Contract', I DID NOT copy the ending from her. I'm sorry if it seems like it, but I didn't. It just fit.

To Anna: Isn't this ironic? :P

Anywho, I hope you guys liked the last chapter, and thanks again for all the support. Now let's see if I can update my other ones. I have a new story idea in mind too :)

I love you guys!

xoxo  
Ducky-san


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